Three statements convey the essence of brand

These statements are, perhaps, resident in your business plan. They need to be repeated in the brand platform we are building to act as a foundation for all the brand development to follow. They are particularly valuable when developing a corporate brand. A product may or may not require them as they are covered under the corporate brand/identity.

The brand platform should contain your corporate vision statement, your mission statement and your value statement. If they do not already exist, here are some guidelines to help you develop them, as well as reasons to develop them.

Vision statement: The vision statement set the direction for future actions. It is the guidepost for making decisions about new products, services, projects. Will new �opportunities� compliment your company�s direction, strength and culture? This statement is also a motivator within the organization. It usually states a compelling image of the desired future.

Mission statement: This is a statement of the basic purpose of the business. There are no �numbers� attached. It�s why the business was founded (or is being founded) in the first place.

Values statement: Here the principles that are held most dear by the leaders of the company are expressed. They are guidelines about how employees are expected to conduct the business, both within and with suppliers, partners, customers and the community. Think of the value statement as a code of ethics, a promise to stakeholders, and a customer bill of rights,. It is an expression of how the company will do business.

These statements, together with a statement of your desired position as described in the 10-10-08 blog, are the major items to look to for differentiating your brand. The other planks in your brand platform are the more �mundane� elements we�ll discuss in the next blog about branding for business.

Signature Strategies: Helping you to profit from the power of branding

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