Business vs Brand

Your brand is not your business.

Many business owners believe that their business and their brand are the same thing.  However they are actually different, although in some cases they overlap.  'Business' refers to the products that you provide or services you sell.  'Brand' is the personality or image of the company, it encompasses who you are and how others view you.

I'm currently working with a client who has a very successful business, and has expanded it multiple times over the past few years.  But because the business is a franchise, she doesn't own the brand name.  So I have been working with her to develop her personal brand - already quite distinctive - into a tangible asset for her business.  My client has good instincts and already had some social media branding in place, but it was primarily focused on her existing client base.  With my assistance, we are widening this to other platforms so she can attact a new audience for her messaging.  That way my client's personal brand can feed new customers into her business. 

So remember, your brand is not your business, and it is more than just the logo you use.  However by using your personal brand strategically, you can use it to enhance your business in positive ways.