When you say word “branding”, most people think USP (unique selling proposition). However a USP is far from equivalent of a brand as we’re about to find out. What is branding? Is it just for “big boys”? And how heck do you create one, anyway?

Rob Frankel (http://www.robfrankel.com) has been called "the best branding expert on planet" and is author of "The Revenge of Brand X: How to Build Big Time Brand™ on Web or Anywhere Else", (available at http://www.revengeofbrandx.com). He now shares some insights with us that will shed a little light on branding mystery.

KARON: Thanks for your time, Rob. I know your schedule is packed.

ROB: You’re welcome!

KARON: Well, let's start with basics... everyone in world has heard term branding but it is still widely misunderstood. What is basis of branding and - more importantly - why should a business care about it?

ROBFRANKEL: Branding is THE most misunderstood aspect of marketing. Here's best example I can give. Just as you're more than a simple name and a face, a business is more than a name and a product. So a brand is as much way you do things as what you do.

A business should care about it, because THAT'S stuff that inspires loyalty and motivates people to evangelize brand. That's where money is, in more ways than you can imagine.

KARON: So for those who think branding is coming up with a USP and just plastering it all over everywhere... what would you say?

ROB: A couple of things: First, my own branding (Big Time Branding) is not about a USP at all. It's about a UBP… Unique Buying Proposition. THAT'S problem with almost all brands -- they concentrate on what they have to sell instead of why people want to buy. Also, many confuse branding with advertising and PR. That's because old ad hacks try to pass themselves off as branding people. Fact is, "First you build brand, then you raise its awareness."

The brand happens long before either advertising or PR… internally and externally.

KARON: Just like I might wear same jeans and t-shirt as another woman but I'm very different inside. It's that difference that makes brand.

ROB: Branding goes down to core. In fact, I have a Ubiquitous Brand Test in my book: "Are we doing it way?" If answer is no, you're not branded.

Here's another example: Can I send you $100,000 in cash?

KARON: Well of course you can!

ROB: I'd like to overnight it to you. Is that okay?

KARON: Sure it is!

ROB: Okay, but you have to pay for shipping... you want me to send it US Post Office or FEDEX or what?

KARON: FEDEX

How many times have you heard old adage, “The customer doesn’t want a drill, he wants a hole in his wall”? While I may disagree with parts of that phrase, one thing is for sure… if you want to increase your advertising effectiveness, you have to stop selling what YOU want customer to buy and start solving his problems.

What exactly does that mean? For starters, it means finding out who your customers are and what challenges they face. It also means that your ad copy, your tag line, your Web site design, your brochure, your customer service plan and your support need to all work in concert to provide solutions to those challenges.

The most effective advertising pieces don’t sell… they fulfill. They don’t talk about company… they talk about customer. They don’t push price… they provide solutions.

When you focus on customer in your advertising copy, when you get inside mind of your customer and speak to their emotional needs, you will see greater results.

Here are 7 tips for creating copy that does not sell… but provides a solution.

1. Talk TO customer, not ABOUT company. Yes, you have to mention your company name so they’ll know who you are. But majority of your copy should speak to customer and his/her needs. Not: “ABC Web Site Designers has been in business for 13 years. We do great work. Our clients think this or that. We provide design, java and cgi. Our customer service can’t be beat. ABC is best and you should use us.”