What does “branding” mean to you? Having grown up in the ’50s and ’60s, I still have a vision of hot branding irons in a coal or wood fire, and some rancher roping a steer or a horse and pushing the red-hot metal against its hide to make sure the symbol of his 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 sellers seek to achieve. Get their name or product emblazoned on the mind of the 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 it and recognize it but I don’t buy it, then all the money spent on branding 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 and recognition to purchases.

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

Here are the “be’s” of branding to make a sale:

Be likable, believable, available, attractive and friendly.

Be service-oriented, first-class, consistent, reputable and desirable.

Be trustworthy and top-quality.

Be easy to do business with.

Be “buzzable.” (Are people “spreading the word?”)

SECRET: Have a sales team that can convey and convert the branding message in terms of the buyers (the users, the customers), and get them to buy.

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

The company’s retail stores match its marketing. Attractive, compelling, helpful, smart people, and it’s easy to make a purchase. And to make CERTAIN its branding message reaches the consumer in a reassuring way, Apple puts its own salespeople in other retail outlets to be certain that the customer has all the information needed to make an intelligent decision.

Brand is not just about becoming known and shouting your name. You have to back it up with quality, consistency, customer focus, customer help, response, service and customer attraction. Then throw 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 answers to these six questions are the reality of your brand, your reputation and your ability to make sales.

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 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.

Create an atmosphere in which people want to, and are able to, BUY.

Light the fire. Get the branding iron hot. Burn your brand on the mind and wallet of your customers. But be prepared to sell when they get there – or be prepared to lose to someone who is.

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