Every month at the branding discussion we host, I start off by defining what a brand is by talking about what it is not. Let me make this perfectly clear – your logo is not your brand. I can’t tell you how many times I ask people to describe their company’s brand and they show me their letterhead, proudly pointing to the logo. I’m not suggesting that a logo isn’t important to your brand. It’s one of the strongest visual representations that communicate your brand message. But it is not your brand.

Want to know what else isn’t your brand?

● Your tagline

● Your company colors

● Your mission statement or values

● Your product’s packaging

● Your company’s mascot or character

● The uniforms your employees wear

● How your employees treat your customers

So what is it, if it isn’t any of those things?

A brand has two elements. First, it is a promise. A promise to your customers that says, “Here’s what interacting with this company, product or service will be like.” The second part of your brand is fulfilling that promise. It’s the promise come to life. Every time you interact with a customer, potential customer or employee, you either keep your promise or you don’t. And what do you suppose happens if you keep breaking your promise?

That’s why it’s so critical to businesses today to understand branding. Your brand isn’t something you can just invent or create out of thin air. It’s not about quality or how good your people are, either. “It’s our people” or “don’t settle for anything less” branding is lazy. But more about that next week!

For now, tell me this – what is your brand?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and the author of “99.3 Random Acts of Marketing.” He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com.

© Drew McLellan