You know the signs of a dying brand and it’s now clear—you’re in trouble. You understand what’s at stake and that it’s time to take action. But like so many others in your position, you aren’t sure what to do.

“Taking action” is such a general catch phrase that it could really mean anything. And sure you could begin researching your next move, read a million blog posts that will give you a million different pieces of advice, and go down the path of the brand rebuild on your own. However, going about it in that manner is risky. After all, if you were capable of keeping your brand alive on your own, would you even be in this position in the first place?

In my last post, I explained to you how to notice when you brand is dying. I told you how I define the term and pointed out the key symptoms of a sick brand. Now that you know how to spot a dying brand, you need to know when the best time to take action is.

At first glance, the answer seems obvious. You take action as soon as possible. And while that’s usually the case, sometimes it’s not so cut and dry.

See, what normally happens in respect to brands is one of the following:

Too many people toil away building a business only to get a small taste of success and then watch it all slip away. But why? How come so many seemingly successful business end up fading away?

I would argue that very often business owners don’t recognize the signs of their dying brand. Maybe they don’t know what to look for. Maybe they’re just so caught up with the day to day operations that they fail to take notice. Whatever the case, it’s essential that you are aware and watchful for the symptoms of a sickly brand.

“Brand” Defined

Creating a brand doesn’t happen overnight, nor is it as easy as just putting out a company with a logo or mascot and hoping that it sticks by drowning customers in your marketing rhetoric. And while every marketing firm out there will talk in circles about “branding” and “voice”, it all really boils down to three elements: words, images, and emotion. Or rather, to create a brand, you combine the right words with well-crafted images to elicit an emotional response from the customer. This A+B=C equation of branding is the key to getting your company to register at a deeper level with customers, who will remember your brand and all it represents when they’re getting ready to make a purchase.

Let’s look at the three steps…

I’ve spent quite a bit of time on this blog venting about companies who are afraid to take chances and afraid to stand out in the crowd. Too many companies want to “play it safe” and blend in with all their competitors. But the fact is that’s not safe at all. Blending in is the most dangerous thing you can do. It hampers your success and makes you completely replaceable in the eyes of your target audience.

So, you know that it’s important to stand out from your competition, but how exactly can you do that?

When it comes to marketing for your business, having a basic logo and website isn’t enough. In the age of seemingly unlimited competition, you need to do something to make your company stand out from the pack. Hiring a graphic design company can give you the edge you need. Here’s how they can make your brand “pop!”

• Unique design—Standing out from the competition means you need to look different. And the right graphic design company can help you do that first and foremost by creating a unique logo. This logo will be the first thing many of your potential customers see, and should set the right tone for your company. With that in mind, make sure your design company specializes in logo design.

They've been the buzzwords for a while now: Social media. Online branding. If you're reading this article, you're aware of these words, and have probably used them yourself. You know that if you have a brand, and you want people to know about it quickly, online branding is the way to go. Interleado's Peter Cullen wrote a great article recently about how the difference between online and offline branding is speed. The amount of time it takes to reach 50 million users/viewers online is a blip compared to gaining the same audience with more traditional methods like TV or radio. However, just because your message is displayed in front of more eyeballs does NOT necessarily mean that you're influencing the person attached to those eyeballs.

In my mind Branding is all about 3 things... words, Images, and emotions. Consumers will remember what you say about your brand or even what they've heard. This could be a radio spot or even a word of mouth referral. They will remember what they've seen. This could be an advertising campaign, logo, brochure, and web site. But mostly they will remember how the combination of those make them feel.

To succeed in building a brand, it is necessary to understand the needs and wants of your customer. So, do your research and create a message that separates you from your competition. Then repeat that message over and over again using every form of media you can.

Create a niche market and brand position.

In today's business environment, you've got to separate yourself from the pack - you've got to create a niche and a memorable brand.  Your brand is what you stand for, what makes you different, its the first thought you want to enter into your prospect's mind. Brands are mental associations that get stirred up with the use of words, images, and emotion. Contrary to what some may think, your brand is not your logo. Your logo is part of your brand.

Ask yourself, how can I differentiate my business from competitors? How can I create a perception that my target market simply can't live without me? What do I have to offer?