I bring you this post as an inspiration from this great image designed by David Armano, explaining the intelligent process of climbing up the staircase of developing a brand.

The picture defines a series of interdependent and progressively connected steps, which leads to the heaven or hell of a brand. To clarify the concept, let me explain the stairway to brand heaven.

1.Positive Interactions:

A positive interaction is the convenience and trustworthiness you offer to your customer. Journey to the success of your brand begins with the positive interactions with all your stakeholders (customers; employees; vendors; volunteers, etc) as it helps to create a positive experience with your customer.

2.Consistency:

Next step to achieve brand greatness is repeated positive interactions, which add up to form the basis for developing loyalty for our small business brand.

3.Credibility:

It is the quality, which makes your customer trust you and choose your brand. As it is said, “experiencing is believing”, therefore your consistent, positive interactions makes your customer believe in your brand.

4.Authenticity:

An honest picture of your brand and stable positive interactions will help you formulate an authentic brand culture.

5.Trust:

As your brand starts building, the expectation level of your customer’s increases and you should try to win their trust. The success of a brand lies in fulfilling the promise a company makes to its potential customers of meeting their expectations.

6.Loyalty:

Trust leads to brand loyalty. Any brand achieves its pinnacle when the customers insist on buying your product or promotes your brand through word of mouth. Undeniably, loyalty is the outcome of all previous steps.

In my point of view, there can be no other better way of explaining the path to successful branding. A perfect example of great “impact-per-inch” executed creatively.

So, where do you locate yourself, in a “Brand Heaven” or a “Brand Hell”?

Chipotle, (pronounced as chi-POAT-lay) a name, which does not need an introduction for sure. Still, let me tell you it is believed to be one of the hottest properties in the restaurant industry. Chipotle Mexican Grill is widely known for its large burritos and chunky tacos made up from fresh, organic ingredients.

The strategy behind the growth of the brand is quiet strange. “Advertising is not believable”, declares M. Steven Ells, founder and chief executive of Chipotle. Although Chipotle has been promoting itself against all the traditional branding policies but it still ranks as the country’s most successful fast food chain in recent years.

Other exclusive feature of Chipotle’s advertisement strategy is displaying its signature item, a Burrito enclosed in foil. “You can never make the perfect burrito for someone,” explains William Espey, the company’s creative-services manager, “If you keep it wrapped, it’s their perfect burrito.” Chipotle does not displays its key product and neither franchise or advertise on television as well.

Does this strange marketing approach of Chipotle prove that a brand can be created without advertisement? I am sure, this different concept of branding will make you say something, so do not hesitate and come up with your perception.

What is a brand? Too often, even the marketing professionals fail to give an exact definition for this while many follow a self-created description, which has made the picture very confusing. I would describe a brand as a valued promise that an organization makes to its external and internal audiences.

While hunting for an exact explanation for a brand, I stumbled on this great slide show, which effectively explicates the relevance and power of branding. Have a look, you’ll certainly agree to it.

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Your views on this slide share are more than welcome.