Branding your business is one of the most important elements of creating a long-term successful company.

The first question we need to answer is “What is a brand?” People have many unique and at times different meanings for the word brand.

According to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Encyclopedia, Branding is defined as:

“Simply put, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors. Your brand is derived from who you are, who you want to be and who people perceive you to be.”

I like this “big picture view” on branding. To add to this definition, a company’s brand has an impact on its employees and that company’s relationship with customers. We’re talking about establishing an emotional connection that culminates into a special relationship. Companies that can connect their brand to customers’ emotions and lifestyles are even that much further ahead in the game of mind-share. A great example of this would be the company Apple.

Apple’s mission is centered around their commitment to bringing the best user experience possible through highly innovative products and services. The Apple corporate identity is about simplicity. While their products and services are certainly sophisticated, their message is about removing complexity from people’s lives. It’s centered on a real connection with customers and helping to shape their everyday lives.

The iPod changed the world of music and the way listeners experienced music. The iPhone was a revolutionary product that reinvented the phone. If you know people who are fanatically loyal to their Apple products and services, you can see for yourself the emotional connection they have with the Apple brand and how intimate those products are interwoven within their lifestyle.

As we mentioned earlier, establishing that emotional connection and lifestyle integration with customers is what branding perfection is all about. How can your company do a better job of branding?

Here are my TOP 10 Most Respected Brands in the World:

1. Apple
2. Starbucks
3. Coca-Cola
4. Walt Disney
5. Fed Ex
6. Nike
7. Pepsi
8. Amazon
9. Harley Davidson
10. IBM