Things go better with Coke. Fly the friendly skies of United. Have it your way. NOT!

What does “branding” mean to you?

Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, I still have a vision of hot brandingirons in a coal or wood fire, and some rancher roping a steer or ahorse and pushing the red hot “branding iron” against their skin, tomake sure the name of their ranch was “branded” on the animal.

OUCH! But, the brand was on the animal forever.

In today’s marketplace, that’s what all brand makers and brand sellersseek to achieve. Get their name or product emblazoned on the mind ofthe buyer, and keep it there. Permanently.

One problem. Just because you “know the brand” or “remember the brand”does not mean you’re going to BUY it. And the reality is if I know itand recognize it, but I don’t buy it, then all the money spent onbranding is wasted. OUCH!

The problem rests with marketing and advertising people — they’re not salespeople.
They know everything in the world about exposure and branding, but jack about making the sale.

The power of marketing is to be able to convert awareness andrecognition to purchase. Hey, you over there in marketing. You rememberprofit, don’t you?

If you’re spending to become known, you better be able to back it uponce the potential customer decides to reach out and touch you.

Here are the “be’s” of branding to make a sale:
Be likeable.
Be believable.
Be available.
Be attractive.
Be friendly.
Be service-oriented.
Be first class.
Be consistent.
Be reputable.
Be desirable.
Be trustworthy.
Be top quality.
Be easy to do business with.
Be `buzzable.” (Are they “spreading the word?”)

SECRET: Have a sales team that can convey and convert the brandingmessage in terms of the buyer (the user, the customer), and get them tobuy.

Apple computer has a brand. You’ve seen their ads – funny, compelling, authentic.

Their retail stores match their marketing. Attractive, compelling,helpful smart people, and it’s easy to make a purchase. And to makeCERTAIN their branding message reaches the consumer in a reassuringway, they put their own salespeople in other retail outlets to becertain that the customer has all the information needed to make anintelligent decision.

Brand is not just about becoming known and shouting your name. You haveto back it up with the elements of quality, consistency, customerfocus, customer help, response, service, and customer attraction. Thenthrow in a dose of fun so that the customer BUYS!

When someone sees your brand, or your ad, what do you want them to think?
What are they thinking now?
When someone talks about your brand, what do you want them to say?
What are they saying now?
When someone sees your ad, or your product, what do you want them to do?
What are they doing now?

The (hard) answers to these six questions are the reality of your brand, your reputation, and your ability to make sales.

LESSON: With all the branding hoopla and information in themarketplace, you would think it difficult to make a statement or aclaim that hasn’t been said or done before. And you would be wrong.

If you’re looking to brand, get known, build a reputation, AND make sales, you only have to:
Study your local market.
Look at the global market for other ideas.
Listen to the voice of your present customers.
Study creativity.
Build a customer-focused message.
Back it with quality and deeds.
Dedicate your people to friendly service.
And create the atmosphere where people want to, and are able to, BUY.

Light the fire. Get the branding iron hot. Burn your brand on the mindand wallet of your customer. But be prepared to sell when they getthere — or be prepared to lose to someone who is.

BONUS: If you’re able to brand AND sell, your competition will hate your guts. What could be better than that?

If you would like a creative model that gives you new insight and newanswers to any challenge or situation by asking questions, just go towww.gitomer.com, register if you’re a first-time user, and enter theword SCAMPER in the GitBit box.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Little Red Book of Selling and TheLittle Gold Book of YES! Attitude. President of Charlotte-based BuyGitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conductsInternet training programs on sales and customer service atwww.trainone.com. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail tosalesman@gitomer.com