With few exceptions, every company has many competitors for the product or service they want to sell.   Each one feels their product is different, better.  Unlike all the others.  But with  so many other companies saying the same thing, no one is paying attention.

How do you cut through all the noise?  The answer is branding.  But having a successful brand is easier said than done.  One good place to start is by studying the six essential traits shared by the world’s top brands.

1. PASSIONATE:  64% of consumers who said they had a strong brand relationship with a company cited “shared values” as the primary reason. (Corporate Executive Board)
2. DEPENDABLE:  Marketing consistency pays off; 87% of consumers who interact with a company daily feel loyal to that company (Strativity)
3. RECOGNIZED:  89% of B2B marketers say brand awareness is their most important goal, followed by sales and lead generation. (Content Marketing Institute)
4. CONSISTENT:  45% of a brand’s image can be attributed to what it says, and how it says it. (Landor Associates)
5. AUTHENTIC:  80% of consumers said “authenticity of content” is the most influential factor in their decision to become a follower of a brand.  (Pardot)
6. CUSTOMER-CENTRIC:  48% of Americans expect brands to know them and help them discover new products or services that fit their needs.  (Microsoft) 

Other valuable branding habits include audience engagement, company storytelling and pinpointing a target audience.  But using the above six traits as a springboard for your corporate branding policy will enable you to start 2018 with a renewed focus on increased brand visibility and improved customer loyalty.