Be Unique or Be Ignored: The CEO's Guide to Branding

Branding is ultimately the CEO's responsibility and #1 priority. The brand dictates a company's costs of sales, capital, and media. The goal of branding is to be unique, to stand out from the white-noise of me-too competition. Most CEOs allow their companies to copy or resemble their competitors. If people don't “get” your company's brand — its value proposition — within 15 seconds, they'll resist purchasing from, investing in, and writing about your company. Or, they'll ignore your company altogether. Hence, the title of this guide: Be Unique or Be Ignored.