Contrary to popular opinion,a brand is not just a look. Rather,a brand is a trustmark,a warrant,and a promise. The purpose of marketing is to build a brand in the mind of a prospect. Truly successful brands are perceived by the target audience as the best solution to a particular need. The two essential elements of an effective brand:

First,there is the awareness component. In other words, among the 3,000 or so other messages they will receive this day,did your audience members notice yours? Did your message stand out from the background clutter? And did the audience know how and when to respond?

Second,there is the relevance component.After the message was noticed,did members of your audience begin to sense how the message—and you—might begin to fill a need they had? Was the message relevant to them? Did it lay the groundwork for future messages? Did it help create a relationship? Increasingly,selling is less about persuasion and more about finding needs and filling them.