Building your brand

Mel Lester's posting on Building Your Brand almost exactly replicates my own thinking on this topic, expressed both in previous blog postings and my upcoming book. (Also, click on the image for a previous post citing Marty Neumeier on this vitally important topic.)

For most people in the construction industry, Branding is a concept that seems both distant and irrelevant. Alas, too many professional marketers focus on the superficial elements of branding, things like logos, graphics and advertising strategies.

As Mel rightly points out, the brand is largely built out of the client (and employee) experiences; these become the company story, image and perceptions.

Why is a healthy brand important? It comes down to the quality of clients you are able to attract and retain, and the amount of money you can charge them for your services. A great brand equals higher pricing power -- you can earn more for the "same" service.

Your construction marketing goal should be to escape the trap of competing blindly on price which is a fool's game, usually. But you need a great brand, first, to achieve this marketing success foundation.