Jumpstarting Your Brand for Growth

Even though economic experts are reporting that the end of the recession is near, these are still challenging times for businesses. You may have had to cut personnel and budgets, including your marketing communications budget, just to remain solvent.

According to a McKinsey article published last year: " Economies may be sluggish, but this is no time to hunker down and wait it out." Now is the time for smart businesses to get back out there and market their brands to lead the economic turnaround.

Here are five brand strategy guidelines to help you get started:

1. Go back to your business' roots, and establish - or reestablish - a unique distinction for your company and products that you can actually deliver. That's your brand promise to your customers.
2. Involve key leaders in your organization, who will be responsible for delivering your brand promise to the outside world.
3. Transform your employees into brand advocates.
4. Make sure that your company is set up to deliver your brand promise and that your brand goals are aligned with your business goals.
5. Communicate your distinction clearly, consistently and creatively.

No one said it was going to be easy. But the results will help your company move from survival mode into growth mode.

As a spokesman from the Prophet Corporation once said: "You can't escape your brand. Either you make the customer experience, or it gets made without you."