A brand support program designed to educate your target audiences and build strength of reputation is vital to continually enhance the perception of product lines. Consider this also a good opportunity to help identify and evaluate company structure, corporate culture, core competencies, business strategy and branding objectives.

Over the past 20 years, we've implemented tactics that accelerate brand success. Here are a few thoughts to consider:

• Define target audiences. Identify and prioritize; a company can't be all things to all people. Research your end-user industry—its growth, future, fears, and goals—then wrap your brand around whatever is discovered.
• Understand customer needs. Determine which needs are being met, and which have not yet been satisfied. What percent of your business today comes from repeat customers? What is being done to target more profitable customers?
• Incorporate brand strategies and positioning into the business plan. Take steps to ensure brand values and company culture align. Make branding a consideration in every major business decision.
• Deliver on brand promise. Make promises clear and consistent; don't communicate something you can't deliver. Ensure both internal and external audiences understand it.
• Build an integrated enterprise-wide brand. Make sure all elements of brand identity send the same message across all channels of communication in a distinctive and meaningful way.
• Enlist senior management as brand champions. Get buy-in from key management and employees as soon as possible to help evangelize the program to outside contacts. Build a strong branding team consisting of employees from different departments to support effort internally.
• Put the brand to the test. Can the plan legitimately deliver on the promise? Is it distinctive and influential? Can the brand identity and plan cut through the clutter? Is it relevant? Does it communicate core competencies to key audiences? Is it consistent?