The getknownnow.com
‘How’s Your Brand Working?’
Acid Test
 

Here's a small survey to help you understand more about the power of the brand you're currently working with. Begin by printing this sheet out.

Write down your brand name here:

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Write down your website or blog URL here:

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 Now take a look at both, and answer these questions as honestly as possible, writing your responses in the space provided below. Answer on a scale of 1 to 5, using these guidelines:

5 – An exuberant yes!
4 – Mostly yes
3 – Not sure
2 – Not very often
1 – Not at all

A final note: If you want to really turbo charge this process, give this questionnaire to a friend to complete for you – or several - and see how your brand really works.

1. Does your current brand solve a specific problem?
   
    
2. Does a certain group of people know they have this problem?
   
    
3. Does the brand make that problem, or your solution to it, obvious?
   
    

4. Is your brand clear, so people really get what you’re offering?
   
    

5. Does the brand name offer a specific benefit that feels unique? (There may be others out there who generally offer what you offer, but your brand stands apart in a concrete way.)
   
    
6. Is the brand truly original, so it doesn’t sound like any other brand?
   
    

7. Does your brand reflect just the feel you want it to have?
   
    
8. Is your brand name less than six words long?
   
    
9. Is your brand trademarked?
   
    
10. Do people ever comment positively on your brand, the sound of it, or what it promises?
     
11. Does your URL match your brand in some way?

Scoring: Now go through your answers and add them all up. If you have:

45+ – You’ve got a great brand! Congratulations – may you continue to expand it in all sorts of ways. In fact, have you got a blog? Or a fully branded website? Now’s the time to put those in place if not. I suspect the media’s going to love you!

30-45 – Chances are your brand is ‘almost there’. You probably have a good sense of what you’re here to do, but perhaps the benefit or the niche isn’t as clear in the brand as it needs to be. (Note: if your sales are sluggish, or clients aren’t knocking down the door, this could be why.)

20-30 – Sounds like you could use an infusion of branding insight. You may be mired in a fuzzy brand, or one that just doesn’t stand out from the crowd. You may be lacking key info on who your target market is, etc.. If that’s the case, it’s time to take stock and rebuild. You can create at thriving business – it will just take some reworking.

Under 20 – Help! You’re in branding hell. Time to climb out, get some professional assistance and start again. But don’t feel too bad. How can you be great at branding AND great at what you do? Chances are some serious re-branding could bring a new influx of business and energy your way.