Article: Have a plan in place to get your brand name in as many stores and in front of as many people as possible. Depending on the product or service you’re offering, you might want to consider taking out ads online, in newspapers, in magazines, and wherever you might find new customers.  Apply your branding, including your visual brand and brand messages, to all of your materials—from packaging, signage, and stationery, to your website and marketing materials. Don’t be shy about boldly branding your products and displaying them in as many venues as possible. You want your brand to be everywhere people look. Advertise your brand in unexpected places. Radio advertisements, employee uniforms, and freebies with logos (such as tissues or pens) are all relatively inexpensive ways to promote your brand. See if you can get publicity from a local newspaper, TV station or blog who will review your product or service. Social media is one of the best ways to build a brand these days. Get basic social media accounts and update them regularly with pictures, deals, and other information about your company. Find things that are related and appeal to your customers and give them the chance to interact.  For example, if you're a travel company, post a picture of a beautiful location with a message something like: "Counting down the weeks to summer vacation and some time to unwind! Where do you want to travel this year?" Do not become spam. Avoid constantly pushing your brand in an annoying way or without context or to people that have no interest. Stay out of your customer's recycle bins. Be real and conversational, not a metaphorical sleazy car salesman. This is the age of the Internet and social media, so having a website is central to building a brand. It's fine to base your business in the flesh and traditional media, but if you don't at least have a website, you'll be seen as old-fashioned and inaccessible. Hire a professional or use a template and get a nice looking website. This should, at a minimum, discuss what your brand is about, where your offices can be found, what your hours are, and how you can be contacted.  Use your site as an opportunity to tell your story proudly. People have an easier time understanding something that fits into a story, and they'll especially identify with things that let them feel like they're a part of that story. Give your customers a story that they can be a part of if you want to build your brand into a big name. Publish it on your website’s “about” page or distribute it in your publicity materials. For example, in the '80s and '90s, Microsoft painted themselves as a company that pulled themselves up by their bootstraps in order to become the most innovative and effective product in their field. This resonated with business-oriented individuals, who wanted to see their own lives in the same way and who could feel apart of that spirit of greatness by buying Microsoft products. Having an in-person presence helps to build trust and spread the word about your brand. Throw events, attend events put on by others, do volunteer work, and be civically active. This is a great way for your customers and potential customers to see what your brand stands for.  Street fairs and other daytime events often provide opportunities for businesses to set up a table and hand out information. Take advantage of this opportunity to forge bonds with people in your community who could potentially be customers. Giving back to your community through donations and sponsorships is another good way to get your brand out there. You could sponsor a little league team or a girl scout troop to build up your community presence.

What is a summary?
Develop a marketing strategy.  Have a presence on social media. Have a killer website. Be involved in the community.