Tips to help you develop a winning brand

Aimée Davies is leading a Brighton Chamber "Ride the Wave" session about branding for social enterprises. She shares some of her tips.

As a graphic designer - and previously a marketer - I specialise in logo design and visual identities. A brand, however, is more than this. It is also what you say and do. A brand exists in the mind of others. It is your reputation.

Get your product and service right If you don't deliver what people actually need or deliver what you promise, no amount of promotion will build a strong brand.

Keep it simple People are attracted to specialists. They presume the quality will be higher. Get known for one thing and do it well.

Name Have a name that stands out when read in a sentence. Keep it punchy to one or two words: Vimeo is a much better brand name than the more generic Videos Online.

Visual identity Invest in a professional logo and identity. People are attracted to success, so look the part.

Be consistent and neat Inconsistency might suggests laziness or amateur. Aim at having the same logo and feel for everything that is customer-facing.

Paint a picture Invest in content that sticks in the mind. Think photography, video, stories, testimonials, and infographics. Showcase your benefits.

Surprise and delight Create a fun and delightful brand experience. People will keep coming back for more and will sing your praises to others.

Network, network, network Word of mouth is still the best way of building your brand and its reputation. Engage with your customers. Get to know people in your community and industry.

Befriend opinion-makers Give editors and bloggers great stories. Run campaigns and offers to try out your product or service. Establish a reputation for being helpful and people will help you. it's called karma!

Everyone is a brand ambassador Make happy employees and customers. In the age of increased transparency, people know when employees or customers love, hate, or are indifferent to a brand.

For more information about upcoming Brighton Chamber of Commerce events, visit: www.businessinbrighton.org,uk/events