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Building a Strong Brand from Day One



By Alex Mercer & Michael Hennessy

In the cacophony of the market square, where every merchant claims to sell the finest spices, only a few have customers at their stalls before dawn. Why? They've built something more than a business. They’ve built a brand. And for startups, the journey to becoming one of those few begins on day one.


The First Brick in Your Brand's Foundation


A brand isn’t just a name or a logo; it’s the story that people tell themselves about your product. It’s the gut feeling they get when they hear your name. It’s what they expect from you, whether they're consciously aware of it or not. And the first brick of that foundation is authenticity.


What's your story? What's the change you're busy making? From the outset, your brand must emerge as a clear narrative that resonates with your audience, a narrative that is more about them than it is about you. If your startup is the hero of its own story, you’ve missed the mark. Make your customer the hero. Your product? It’s the magic wand, the trusted sidekick.


Consistency is Not the Hobgoblin of Little Minds


It is, in fact, the heartbeat of your brand. It's what transforms a one-time buyer into a lifelong customer. It's what turns casual browsers into loyal followers. But this isn’t just about visual consistency or an unwavering tagline. It's the promise you keep delivering, the unwavering experience, the expectation you fulfill every time someone interacts with you.


Every tweet, every customer service call, every product release - they're all stanzas of the same poem. Be deliberate about them. Every inconsistency is a crack in your foundation.


Permission to Connect


Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell and the connection you create. And in the noisy world that is today's marketplace, the only messages that are heard are the ones we choose to hear. How do you get your market to choose to hear you?


Permission marketing is the subtle art of engaging people, turning strangers into friends and friends into customers. And then—do it again. The privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal, and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.

In the spirit of weaving a story that resonates and fostering genuine connections, I invite you to become a part of our narrative. If the ideas shared here spark your interest, I'm asking for your permission to continue the conversation. By subscribing to my blog, you'll be embracing the very essence of permission marketing — receiving content tailored to your interests and needs, content you've chosen to welcome into your inbox.


This is an example of permission marketing in action. It's about offering value in exchange for your attention, about ensuring that every message you receive from us is anticipated and relevant to you. If you're ready to hear more stories, discover more connections, and perhaps find a little inspiration for your own marketing journey, I welcome you to subscribe.

Here's where your journey with us begins: Subscribe to our blog

Be the Purple Cow in a Field of Monochromes

If a startup plays it safe, adheres to the status quo, it'll be invisible. The Purple Cow, on the other


hand, is remarkable. It’s the product or service that is worth making a remark about. It stands out, it's different, and it's what people want to talk about.


Build your startup’s brand by being that Purple Cow. It doesn’t necessarily mean you must be the first in the market. It means being the first to do something noteworthy, something valuable, something worth talking about.


Build Tribes, Not Just a Customer Base


People like us do things like this. That's what members of a tribe say. They're not just customers; they’re your fans, advocates, and the ones who spread the word. They believe in your story and your values. They stand for what you stand for.


So, as you build your startup from the ground up, don’t just focus on transactions. Focus on connections. Build your tribe. Give them a flag to fly and a rally point.


In essence, a strong brand is the sum of attention to detail, commitment to consistency, and the courage to be remarkable. It’s a living, breathing entity that exists in the minds and hearts of your customers. It's what ensures that before the market even wakes up, there are people waiting for your stall to open. That’s the power of a strong brand.


Now, go build one from day one.

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