Many small and home-based business owners consider branding to be an exclusive domain of big companies. It is something that Coke, Nike, Apple, Disney and other companies with big marketing budgets engage in.

And this is often a big mistake. Many small businesses unfortunately fail to reap the benefits of having developed a strong brand — or the process of establishing an emotional connection between the business and the customer.

Jeffrey Gitomer, in his book “The Little Red Book of Selling” has identified several ways a business can build a brand, even for 1-person businesses, and these are:

• Create demand for your product or service indirectly (through means other than direct advertising)
• Get the business community to have confidence in your business. Earn a reputation for quality performance so good that it’s talked about.
• Establish yourself as an expert. Why just be in the field, when you can be perceived on top of it?
• Register your name.com. Go to some name registration site and register your name as fast as you can.
• Dedicate time to make it happen. Or it won’t happen. If you want to make a lasting mark, it must be preceded with a master plan
• Get others to help you. List the people you think can help you or help you connect – and ask for their support. (The easiest way to get support? Give it first – without keeping score.
• Stay in front of the people you want to do business with. By combining your outreaches, you can create a steady flow of images to your target market. It takes between five and ten images to create awareness great enough to make a buying decision
• Become a resource. It’s much more powerful than someone perceiving you as a salesman or entrepreneur.
• Persistence and consistency are the secrets. If you’re good, have patience. Your phone will ring.
• Ignore idiots and zealots. There are a lot of jealous people and naysayers in the world.
• Become known as a person of action. The result of these actions will be a person who is known for getting things done – a leader.