One of the biggest misconceptions among many churches and small businesses is that only large corporations have (or need) a brand. Unfortunately for those churches and small businesses this thinking is flawed and shows a real lack of understanding about what branding actually is.

If your doors are open for any period of time, you’ve already got a brand. If this surprises you, it probably means your brand is weak. Most likely very weak. If you’re in business, you have an identity and a reputation. Both things that affect (good or bad) your brand.

Realizing that you have a brand is a big step. Understanding how to position yourself so that your brand can strengthen within your market is the next, and bigger step. You do this by re-evaluating your identity; Fom your logo, to your catchy tag line, your website, your sign and anything else you put out there to the public that says who you are. You need to take a new look at these messages from a marketing standpoint. Discover who your audience really is (just researching the demographics is lazy) and speak to them in a voice they will respond to, via a medium they will hear/see.

You already have a brand. It just may be weak.