Building your brand Once you've defined your brand values and your customers' needs you can start to build your brand by consistently communicating your brand values. Remember that every possible contact you have with a customer or potential customer needs to reinforce your brand values. Key areas to consider are: • your business name • names you give your products or services • any slogan you use • your logo • the style and quality of your stationery • product packaging • your premises • where and how you advertise • how you and your employees dress • how you and your employees behave • your company website If all these are consistently in line with your brand values, your brand will be strengthened. But if all of them aren't in line, your brand - and your business - could be seriously damaged. A brand makes promises to customers and if they aren't fulfilled, your customers will be far less likely to buy again. For example, Delightful Jewellery's "Elegant" range may be beautifully produced, stylishly packaged and glamorously advertised in glossy magazines. Its brand values could be "classy, special, elegant". But if staff are rude on the phone, customers won't think about Delightful Jewellery's elegance - they'll think about its staff's rudeness. As a result the brand - and possibly the business - will be undermined.