When some commercial actually catches your eye as your channel surfing, figure out why.

Also become an expert on your clients and who buys things from you. What country are they from? Are they mostly male or female? Do they come from your ezine, or from Internet? Go over your ezine records occasionally, and your web stats.

I recommend you work with a marketing coach, for an expert and individualized programme in this competitive business, but even so, your input will be crucial. The marketing person will need lots of data from you, and I’m always surprised how much some people know about their business, and how little others do.

Branding Myth #3 - Once Your Branding Strategy Is In Place, You Need Do Nothing More

This is probably biggest myth of them all! So many online businesses are led to believe that once they have an amazing USP, and a snappy logo they have accomplished everything in realm of branding.

However, just opposite is true. Your branding strategy is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. Defining your strategy is just one part of that process.

Here are some basic tips to help you define and implement your brand.

1. Decide how you want to be perceived by your customers. Do you want to portray an image of trust? Loyalty? Dependability? Innovation? Wide selection? Speedy service & delivery?

2. What makes YOU perceive other companies that way when you shop? Is it their selection? Customer service? Pricing? All of above?

3. Make a list of qualities you and your employees must display to customers in order to portray your desired brand.

4. Share list with everyone in your organization and ask them to develop specific ways they can support brand.

5. Compile a final branding strategy and share it with everyone in your organization.

Successful brands are those who are well defined and that have support of entire organization. Brands based on myths are those that simply have a spiffy logo, a "killer" USP, and hope that customer will "get it."

Would you rather base your brand on sound principles or myths? That's what I thought!

Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com