“Branding” is one of those magic marketing buzzwords that everyone is talking about but no one ever explains very well. A brand is essentially an identity and personality. Whatever people think of when they hear a brand’s name is a part of that brand. So how to you get a brand?  Most of the brands people are talking about are large businesses that have already proven to be successful, but what about the new brands?  What about all the new business or smaller companies trying to make a name for themselves in the massive universe of the brands?  Start with a good foundation and the rest will follow. Here are 5 rules to help get you on your way to brand stardom.

1. Follow Your Passion – If you are about to start a business or are running a business that you’re not passionate about, GET OUT NOW!  Figure out what you love and what you’re passionate about and start moving in that direction. It will make everything else a lot easier.

2. Baby Steps – Start with something you can handle, don’t try to jump ahead 10 years. Business takes time and so does branding. Start with one product and do everything right instead of trying to put out too much and missing several important marks.

3. Trust Your Gut – Starting off you might not have the resources to invest in a lot of research so you need to rely on your gut. That doesn’t mean to act impulsively, but to instead use your logic and experience to figure things out.

4. Team Up To Keep Growing – You may hit a point where you don’t have the resources to keep growing as you would like. When that happens, find someone who does have those resources and work out a deal.

5. Don’t Stop Paying Attention…EVER – As your company grows and your responsibilities change, the one thing you should never lose sight of is your brand. You created it and you know exactly what it should be so don’t let anyone else take over for you.

More branding tips here.

What have you done to build your brand? Share in the comment box below or on Facebook and Twitter.