Source: Entrepreneur.com 
Definition: The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products .
​
An effective brand strategy gives you a major edge in increasingly competitive markets. But what exactly does "branding" mean? Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.
Are you the innovative maverick in your industry? Or the experienced, reliable one? Is your product the high-cost, high-quality option, or the low-cost, high-value option? You can't be both, and you can't be all things to all people. Who you are should be based to some extent on who your target customers want and need you to be.
The foundation of your brand is your logo. Your website, packaging and promotional materials--all of which should integrate your logo--communicate your brand.
Your brand strategy is how, what, where, when and to whom you plan on communicating and delivering on your brand messages. Where you advertise is part of your brand strategy. Your distribution channels are also part of your brand strategy. And what you communicate visually and verbally is part of your brand strategy, too.
Consistent, strategic branding leads to a strong brand equity, which means the added value brought to your company's products or services that allows you to charge more for your brand than what identical, unbranded products command. The most obvious example of this is Coke vs. a generic soda. Because Coca-Cola has built a powerful brand equity, it can charge more for its product--and customers will pay that higher price.
The added value intrinsic to brand equity frequently comes in the form of perceived quality or emotional attachment. For example, Nike associates its products with star athletes, hoping customers will transfer their emotional attachment from the athlete to the product. For Nike, it's not just the shoe's features that sell the shoe.
Defining your brand is like a journey of business self-discovery. It can be difficult, time-consuming and uncomfortable. It requires, at the very least, that you answer the questions below:

• What is your company's mission?
• What are the benefits and features of your products or services?
• What do your customers and prospects already think of your company?
• What qualities do you want them to associate with your company?

Do your research. Learn the needs, habits and desires of your current and prospective customers. And don't rely on what you think they think. Know what they think.
Once you've defined your brand, how do you get the word out? Here are a few simple, time-tested tips:

• Get a great logo. Place it everywhere.
• Write down your brand messaging. What are the key messages you want to communicate about your brand? Every employee should be aware of your brand attributes.
• Integrate your brand. Branding extends to every aspect of your business--how you answer your phones, what you or your salespeople wear on sales calls, your e-mail signature, everything.
• Create a "voice" for your company that reflects your brand. This voice should be applied to all written communication and incorporated in the visual imagery of all materials, online and off. Is your brand friendly? Be conversational. Is it ritzy? Be more formal. You get the gist.
• Develop a tagline. Write a memorable, meaningful and concise statement that captures the essence of your brand.
• Design templates and create brand standards for your marketing materials. Use the same color scheme, logo placement, look and feel throughout. You don't need to be fancy, just consistent.
• Be true to your brand. Customers won't return to you--or refer you to someone else--if you don't deliver on your brand promise.
• Be consistent. This tip involves all the above and is the most important tip on this list. If you can't do this, your attempts at establishing a brand will fail.

7 Reasons WHY SMALL BUSINESSES SHOULD HIRE A POSH PUBLICIST!
Have you considered hiring a publicist but their fees are way out of your price range? Do you need a publicist but you've heard the horror stories of "I paid my retainers and got nothing?"
Regardless of the fact that this may all be true, at some point people need to know about your business other than by word of mouth. Publicity has served and still today is the best avenue in getting the word out.
Yes indeed, publicity is the most respected and credible way to get your business seen, but the cost of hiring a publicist can sometimes put a real strain on a small business. This is one of the main reasons a lot of businesses have turned to The Posh Firm rather than large PR agencies

#1 - Customized Plan
Create your publicity plan, customized just for your business, not some template used for all other businesses. Each niche is different, each business within a niche is different, therefore, we all should have a plan customized to fit our needs and our budget.

#2 - Media Savvy
You should learn everything there is to know about the various forms of media and how to get your business noticed by them. You do not have to know everything, but, pick up on those things that you can do by yourself. By doing so, or at least knowing enough, you can more easily weed out PR people who are not right for your specific business.

#3 - Product or Service Leveraging
A good publicist will create the right (or desired) relationships that turn into your clients by leveraging your products or services. Do you know other players within your niche? Do they take you seriously? Do you know how to approach them? If not, your publicist can help you.

#4 - Media Publicity vs. Public Publicity vs. B to B Publicity
Today's internet allows us to incorporate more than traditional media publicity. Small businesses need to be able to incorporate three forms of publicity: Media, Public, & Business to Business. A good publicity agent will never tell all their secrets but, they will make sure you are informed and that you are meeting the right people for your business, which in turn will help you to leverage your own form of publicity. Learn how to get the most of all 3 kinds of publicity! YOUR Posh Publicist can tell you how. 

#5 - What Can A Publicist Do That I Can't Do Myself?
Often times we hear people say, that they do all their own marketing. Why do they do it all themselves? Typically the cost of hiring another person or hiring someone without the knowledge of their business are the first two reasons this question is asked. Many times a business owner will know who the other players are in their industry, and will know them well. Relationships and control are two other reasons that people think they can do it all on their own. 
What some business owners may not realize is that publicists are more than newspaper advertisers or glorified secretary's. A publicist can help raise the perceived importance others see in you and your business. A good publicist will save you time, which in essence is money!

#6 - Raise Your Street Credibility
Having a publicist who can perform specific PR or publicity functions for your business is more essential than most small companies realize. You don't have to have a full time $5,000 a month retainer to get key components of your PR functions accomplished. Note: The Posh Firm pricing plans are much more budget-friendly than standard industry rates!
More and more, you will find publicists who have struck out on their own, who have key knowledge in certain areas of publicity. Determine the type of publicity that will best suit the needs of your company, and then build on the services you need and want from there.

#7 - Cost of Keeping a Publicist or PR Firm
This is actually the number one reason why most small businesses never hire a publicist. What most large firms will tell you is that they are all encompassing and a small firm will not be able to service all your needs. What most businesses don't know, is that you don't have to start out doing everything. You can start out slow or with only the most important pieces of the puzzle.
Hiring a smaller firm or a publicist who does this on their own can be a great way for you to heighten your Visibility, while building a Mediagenic brand--which would will ultimately translate into boosting your Bottom Line! Contact The Posh Firm today: (727) 417-1023, visit us on the web at www.ThePoshPublicityFirm.com OR check us out on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ThePoshFirm/