b'What Do You Want People to Know About You?WE DONT GETto make a first impression twice, butfrom a third-party consultant, get feedback from we sure do build a reputation with multiple impres- your friends and family. With the help of an outside sions. This is the fundamental concept of branding! third party to define those critical touchstones, theres There are four simple ingredients to branding, andalways an Aha! moment. But getting to that point if you keep them in mind, youll not only boost yourrequires some excavation, and excavation by your-brand, but youll boost your confidence in your com- self is difficult. And the best part about a third partys pany as well.advice? You dont have to take it, but it will often work 1) Define how you want to be perceived to generate the clarity you need to move forward!2) Build your business around that promiseSHAWN BROOK 3) Communicate that visionShawn Brook4) BE CONSISTENT Listening to an outside source or your is president ofThe first question you should always ask is: What is the SeedWorldyour company goal? Do you have a clear vision of whatcustomers might not give us the exact answer, Group, and can beyoure trying to be, how youre trying to say it and why reached at sbrook@ youre doing it?but it can give you the confidence that youre seedworldgroup.com.Draw on the most positive aspects of your organi- going in the right direction. zation and identify what about that separates you from the competitionthen you have your base. Its not easy to get to this point but rewarding when you do! The next move is to build the key elements youTheres a quote that comes to mind around this: need to deliver on that defined vision. Sometimes it isHenry Ford said, If I had asked people what they there but very rarely is it 100% completewhat tweakswanted, they would have said faster horses. Listening do you have to make to deliver on your brand promise?to an outside source or your customers might not give Number 3 and 4 go hand in handyou must nowus the exact answer, but it can give you the confidence communicate this vision with logos, advertising, spon- that youre going in the right direction. There is an sorships and content that conveys both the overarch- eye-opening experience of hearing a different per-ing concept and the details of that vision on an almostspective with someone who understands your target constant basis. audience and understands what you do for a living. For my company, we had a legacy brand that weHaving someone to come help by prompting questions were taking to market that no longer conveyed whatto draw out a very solid procedure gets people to that we do and why. When we started looking into that, wefinish line. asked ourselves: who do we want to be in the market- In this fast food, Amazon-driven world, instant place?gratification makes it tempting to jump in and shoot This simple exercise of checking in to make surefirst, ask questions later. But when I look around and that the brand youre putting out into the world createssee people whove been the most successful, theyre the feeling, the thought, the sentiment and the engage- the people that have a plan. Take the time to define the ment youre looking for with your audience is critical toplan. It will reduce everyones stress, define what suc-our success in this day and age. Nine times out of 10,cess actually looks like and create a road map for your people have decided who theyre going to work with,team to navigate.buy from and engage with before they even talk to aOn a scale of one to 10, how comfortable with you salesperson.on your personal brand and your corporate brand? Id What can you do if youre struggling to figure outlove to hear your stories about your brands and how your key goal? Ask for help!youve come to make yourself successful in the mar-Get feedback from your employees, get feedbackketplace.SW80/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2021'