Brand Development Begins With Listening

I’m in the middle of reading a great book called Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. One of the ways to take advantage of the recent social media explosion in business is to listen to what others are saying about you and your industry. What they say, whether good or bad, is not necessarily about you. It’s about your brand.

There is a lot of confusion about branding in business. Some people think branding is the look of your company, your logo and choice of colors. It’s actually the thoughts, feelings and overall impression people have of you and your company. It’s somewhat intangible, but very powerful in determining your success or failure in the world of business.

To quote the author of Groundswell:

…brands belong to customers, not companies.”

Try as you may, it is often difficult to control your brand. If you want to be successful in business, take the time to listen to your customers if you are fortunate as a consultant to have many clients.  What are they saying to you?  What are they saying about you or perhaps your industry in other forums?  Commit to a day or two of listening and reading what others are saying. Don’t react or overreact. Take some time to contemplate and figure our your next steps.  You may find new ways build better relationships with your current customers and gain new customers along way.

Building your business and developing your brand through listening will set you apart from the competition and give you a unique position in the marketplace.