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Maria Ross
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Branding Basics for Small Business Paperback – April 20, 2010

by Maria Ross (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 39 ratings
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PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS  A MORE CURRENT EDITION OF THIS BOOK AVAILABLEIn Branding Basics for Small Business, marketing expert Maria Ross uses real-life examples to show how organizations of any size can create a winning brand to stand out, delight, and connect with their audiences. Small businesses, start-ups, and non-profits enviously watch the "big guys" create tribes of loyal followers. How do they do it? What can time and resource-strapped organizations learn from them? The secret is starting with a strong Brand Strategy. Brand is more than just a pretty logo: it is your core promise, personality, and reason for being. Branding effectively and connecting with customers isn't about how much money you spend, but about how clearly and consistently you communicate the right message through everything you do. This book reveals a ten-step process to create a strong Brand Strategy so you can craft messages to connect with the right customers, make smart marketing decisions and save money, inspire customer loyalty, share a clear vision with partners and employees, and break away from the pack and grow your business.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    170 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    NorlightsPress.com
  4. Publication date
    April 20, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    5.51 x 0.39 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1935254243
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1935254249
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

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Marketing no longer means advertising, and brand no longer means logo. Your brand is the promise, the experience, the interactions, and the expectation people have for you. Maria Ross understands this, and teaches you how to think about this essential element of your business. --Seth Godin, author of Meatball Sundae and Linchpin

Maria Ross makes it clear that branding isn't just for big companies, rich companies, or consumer companies. It's for your company. In a single readable volume, she shows you how to separate yourself from the pack and win. --Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap and Zag

You've got such a wide and clear scope on what makes successful brands so...successful. Great coverage. And great inspiration to be true to your values and think big. --Danielle LaPorte, lead author of Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design; creator of WhiteHotTruth.com

In today's social economy, every business is a brand, regardless of size. The question small business owners must ask is if they want to be the ones controlling that brand or the ones left to salvage it. In this book, you'll learn how to nail down your brand before you spend valuable resources on marketing and people that simply don't fit your company's core values. If your brand is the mindshare that you hold with your audience, then it's up to you to tell your story from every customer's touchpoint. Your brand is more than just a logo. It's everything you are and the ticket to positive ROI. --Lisa Barone, Chief Branding Officer, Outspoken Media

As someone who has worked with thousands of small businesses, I have seen a lack of clear, focused brand strategy cause people to waste time, energy, and money, and flounder in the workplace. Never fear. Maria breaks down branding so anyone with a business, or who is thinking about launching a business, can understand why an investment in branding is make or break for creating a thriving business. Don't launch without it! --Beth Schoenfeldt, Co-Founder, Collective-E, an Entrepreneur's Agency and Community

From the Publisher

Don't launch a business without this book!

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ NorlightsPress.com (April 20, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 170 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1935254243
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1935254249
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.51 x 0.39 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 39 ratings

About the author

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Maria Ross

Maria Ross

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Maria Ross is the founder of Red Slice, a consultancy that advises entrepreneurs and fast-growth businesses on how to build an irresistible brand story and authentically connect with customers. She is a keynote speaker who regularly speaks to audiences on crafting an engaging brand story that drives growth and impact. She is the author of The Empathy Edge, Branding Basics for Small Business and the Juicy Guides ebook series for entrepreneurs.

Maria started her career as a change management consultant at Accenture and went on to build marketing and brand strategies for companies such as Discovery Communications, Monster.com, BusinessObjects (now SAP), and several technology start-ups, before starting her own business. As a brand strategist, she has worked with brands such as Microsoft, Dropbox, Alteryx, Talemetry and GSK, as well as entrepreneurs and smaller niche industry leaders. Maria has been featured in and written for numerous media, including MSNBC, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneur.com, Huffington Post, and Forbes.com.

Maria understands the power of empathy at both a brand and personal level: in 2008, six months after launching her business, a ruptured brain aneurysm almost killed her. Her humorous and heartfelt memoir about surviving this health crisis, Rebooting My Brain, has received worldwide praise. Maria uses this experience to be a voice for brain injury survivors and has shared her story to educate and inspire attendees at medical, business and women's conferences.

Maria lives with her husband, young son, and precocious black lab mutt in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
39 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Claudia
5.0 out of 5 stars I Couldn't Have Done It Without This Book!....
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2010
Verified Purchase
Before I bought this book, I was really struggling to get clear on my target market. Before buying this book, and in initially thinking I knew exactly whom it was I wanted my brand to speak to, I found I was hitting resistance at every corner. Eventually I came to see that my client was clearly never really the target I initially intended it to be! No wonder I was struggling!! Once I got this book, I had the tools to see that my actual client was right in front of me all along and I was making it so much harder on myself then it needed to be. Once I became clear on my target market, it all became SO much easier! So, I went from shooting in the dark to clearly targeting my market within a matter of days and finally with ease, I starting moving in the right direction. In those moments when questions creep in, I simply refer back to the book and I'm right back on track again. I highly recommend this book!!! - Claudia
3 people found this helpful
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Justine Mis
5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and Enlightening
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is an easy read and extremely practical. I learned something new in every chapter. Her "real world" examples are inspiring, thought provoking and very useful no matter what size of a business or industry you are in. I personally own a small business and very much appreciate the usefulness of this book in helping me avoid some very costly mistakes. She points out a lot of "obvious" mistakes that businesses have made and highlights some unique and interesting ways to develop a "brand" for not only a business but an individual as well.

I have used these techniques very successfully with my clients to develop a "base line" BEFORE even attempting to develop a website and any social media accounts. Saved a lot of time and potential expense and heartache not only with my clients but with myself as well. Her very easy and seemingly simple "questions" saved me a lot of time and made me better prepared to help develop a branding concept for my business as well as the businesses I work with.
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Nikolas Allen
4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable, Helpful Read for Start-Up Business Owners
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2011
Verified Purchase
As a Small Biz Consultant, specializing in Branding and Marketing, I'm quite experienced with the topic. However, I'm so passionate about branding, that I enjoy reading everything I can about it, even if it's to glean a new nugget of info, or to hear how other specialists communicate this familiar concept in their own way. I bought this book because it was specifically targeting Small Business, which is my niche, whereas most of the reading I've done is focused on the large corporate brands we're all familiar with.

I enjoyed this quick little read (a slim 156 pgs), and Maria Ross has an easy, breezy communication style that is a delight to take in. This book will benefit small business owners at any stage of their existence, but those in the beginning stages may benefit most, as Maria discusses early considerations, such as names, logos, color schemes, etc. But, you brand is far more than your logo, and Maria covers the wide spectrum of elements necessary to create a unique, meaningful brand.

My favorite portions were: 10 Key Questions to Building your Brand Strategy, where she covers the essential components of a good strategy, and Crafting Your Key Marketing Message, which spells out 10 verbal and written areas that need to speak to your company's brand, including your Positioning Statement, Mission, Tagline, Elevator Speech, PR Boilerplate, and even Executive Bios among others. The key to any brand is consistency and cohesion, so if all these messages align, you are well on your way.

Maria also weaves several Case Studies throughout the book, which is inspiring to hear how other people are creating success with unique brands. If you are a small business owner and the concept of Branding is foreign and intimidating to you, I highly recommend educating yourself with "Branding Basics for Small Business." If, on the other hand, you are seeking intermediate to advanced reading on the topic, I would suggest, "Brand Simple," and "Brand Digital," both by Allen P. Adamson.
15 people found this helpful
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RevRobb
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, Entertaining and Relevant
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2010
Verified Purchase
Branding Basics by Maria Ross was informative, entertaining and helpful on so many levels! I have been a small business owner for almost a decade and have gone through various phases of branding, while never really finding the degree of specificity or precision I have strived for. I am currently undergoing a re-branding phase and Maria's book has been an excellent handbook and reference guide for that operation. The exercises are thorough and to the point. The "Brand at Work" sidebars provide pertinent illustrations for the material and have helped to get me thinking creatively about how to apply the lessons to my own company. Her experience and mastery of the subject matter are clear throughout the text, while her humor keeps the book engaging from start to finish. I highly recommend this book for motivated and creative individuals who want to take the public image of their products and services to the next level.

Robb Seal, Owner
Ritual Space Healing Arts
Lafayette, CO
7 people found this helpful
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chris from texas
5.0 out of 5 stars YOU ARE SPINNING YOUR WHEELS IF YOU DON'T START HERE!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2011
Verified Purchase
For ANY start up company, whether you offer a product or a service, this is a must read! Maria has a special way of revving up your mind so that the creative juices just run out and your message becomes clear regarding your product or service. If I hadn't done the exercises in her book, I would have never thought about my target market in such a way. Her ideas are amazing and unique. I'm confident that I'm now equipped to create the addictability factor that I was seeking to create with my market for my products. I'm not certain that I could have done this without reading her simple yet effective tips. A business shouldn't be started without going thru a branding analysis. For the price of the download, do yourself a favor and start here. You can't go wrong and you'll be so glad you did.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Audrey Ple
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for every new business owner or marketer
Reviewed in Canada on December 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
I recommend this book all the time. It's an easy read and everyone in business for themselves or in a marketing position should do the exercises. I've been a marketers for 30 years and the first time I read it I just kept nodding my head in agreement. If you're working with a professional team to get your brand right, answer these questions and give them the answers––it will speed up the process and save you money. I highly recommend it.
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Gabriele Mohl
5.0 out of 5 stars Was macht Ihre Corporate Identity aus?
Reviewed in Germany on November 8, 2013
Verified Purchase
Ich bin mit der Zeit in meiner Selbstständigkeit von der Wichtigkeit einem guten und vom Fachmann erstellten Corporate Design bewusst geworden. Ein Punkt, den auch dieses Buch sehr betont. Tatsache ist, dass mir erst durch dieses Buch klar wurde, dass man als Einzelunternehmer alleine durch die Art und Weise wie man sich kleidet und z.B. mit Kunden und Lieferanten agiert, schon die Corporate Identity seines Unternehmens definiert. Diese Tatsache sollte man voll bewusst sehen und auch selber bewusst wahr nehmen, wie man dadurch auf seine Umgebung wirkt.

Ich empfehle jedem Selbstständigen dieses Buch zum Thema Corporate Identity durch zu arbeiten!
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