Dear Ready,

Now is the time to consider brand strategy and create a marketing plan. It is best to schedule key decisions on logo, company name, and colors after the following strategic steps.

4 Steps Before You Brand

1. Gather key business contributors to discuss brand strategy

2. Hire a facilitator or marketing firm to lead the meeting

3. Do an in depth analysis of what you have to offer

4. Explore how your company compares to the competition

Go In Order

Many businesses owners name their companies to honor a favorite memory or even their own name. We recommend you think in broader terms to enlist branding concepts that resonate with the consumer and relate to your product or service. We suggest you work with a facilitator to take your team through a comprehensive analysis of your service or product offering.The output of this process is a positioning statement, a critical tool for branding. Once you and your team are clear about what you are selling, look at who else is doing this. Determine how you can differentiate your business from similar operations in your industry and area. The competitive analysis exercise is a critical step before selecting a company name, color scheme, and logo.

Selection of company name, colors, and logo are key drivers of your brand and should be strategically selected based on how to best promote what you are selling and make you stand out from the competition. For expert advice on branding, work with a professional design firm.