Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition

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The Brand Framework

FOR MOST PEOPLE, BRANDING IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. They are so focused on creating products and marketing those products that they let branding happen naturally. The challenge they face is that by not having a solid branding strategy, they are left constantly trying to create that next product that will be a hit or the next marketing idea that will catch on and spread virally. That's a lot of pressure and stress that can be relieved by having a framework for your branding efforts.

Six steps within your branding framework will set you on the path to success. We cover each step in detail throughout the book, but here's a quick rundown for you to understand the big picture here.

The first step in your branding framework is to know your audience, which goes beyond just identifying target market. It's about knowing what your target market wants. You need to know what frustrates them the most. Your product or service will solve the problem that is frustrating them. You need to know what it is they want. Notice I said what they want, not need. When my son Jack needs to take a bath, he never wants to. People buy what they want, not what they need. You also need to know what they think it will take to solve their problem. If they already have an idea of what the solution may look like, you can be sure your product matches that idea.

The second step in this framework is to define your position. Branding is all about positioning. It's not about market share; it's about being ...