Building Business
立业之道(2/3)
Building Business
How do you make your business grow? Experts tackle two tough questions
What’s in a Brand?
Question: I know that branding is an important aspect of Internet marketing. How do I compete for eyeballs?
Answer: As a small company, you need to be concerned with attracting your target market to your brand. If you can distinguish your product or service from the competition, you will be ahead of the game. What’s more, you may even win over some customers from larger competitors.
Having a recognizable brand doesn’t necessarily mean that your business will be universally known. It simply means that you are increasing your chance to compete successfully for attention and market share in the appropriate space. It doesn’t take an expensive global advertising campaign to brand your business.
Finding your unique identity
First of all, identify your target market. Without knowing who your customers are and what their likes and dislikes are, your branding efforts will be in vain. Informal surveys, focus groups, magazines such as American Demographics, census information and research reports can all be helpful in determining your niche. In addition, trade magazines for your industry may point you in the right direction.
Once you have identified your target market, remember that customers are bombarded by ads and brands, and it is virtually impossible for them to distinguish among all the messages. As a result, you need to cut through the noise. Differentiation is key for any product or service. Coming up with a name, logo and domain name are the obvious and necessary first steps in creating a brand message that will set you apart from the competition.
Specialized Terms
Branding (n) 品牌化；创立品牌 the act of giving a company a particular design or symbol in order to advertise its products and services
Vocabulary Focus
Target (n) a particular group of people for whom something is intended
Universally (adv) everywhere and to everyone
In vain (idiom) without success
Bombard (v) to direct so many things at someone that they find it difficult to deal with them
Discussion Question
So, what’s really in a Brand?
Extra Exercise
1. Translate the following sentence into Chinese, ‘What’s more, you may even win over some customers from larger competitors.’
2. According to the recording, what’s the name of the company that just started their marriage counseling in the skit?
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