Branding: Step One--Defining your Company's Personality

How do you see your company? What is its personality?

Are you a heads-down-at-the-desk coding company that takes on the most complex applications? Or are you the we-hear-what-you-don't-say company that adds value. Or are you the faster-cheaper-better company that can knock out an application in days?

Every company has a personality. And it serves you well to define that personality and hone and hone. It's key to your branding strategy.

Ask yourself and your staff the following questions to tease out the core personality traits of your company:
1. What kind of project do you hate to see coming in the door.
2. What customer did you enjoy working with the most in the past? Why?
3. Do you like working directly with clients?
4. When a customer calls, what is your first reaction?
5. Do you think customers are from Mars and programmers are from Venus.
6. Do you like to train customers?
7. Do you periodically check-point your programs with the client as you move along?

There are dozens of questions you could ask yourself, and often companies need an outsider's help. After all, it often takes an outsider, such as a friend, co-worker or headhunter, to help a person recognize his or her best skills and attributes when writing a resume.

Spend time defining your company's personality. Once you do, you are well on your way to branding your business.