Click to read the original text for details. To build a brand, one must first understand what a brand is; what is a brand? A product that occupies a core position in consumers' minds is called a brand! The position of a product in consumers' minds is constantly fluctuating, so the so-called brand is also constantly changing. All the brands we currently recognize are actually on the road to becoming brands, but some companies have taken 100 steps on this road, while others have taken 50. This is also the main reason why marketing professionals often say, "In sales, there is never a day of ultimate success." So, how can small enterprises embark on their own brand journey? Change in Mindset: Once you understand the true meaning of a brand, you can form a realization: No company is too strong to be surpassed, and no company is too weak to develop. This realization is the key for small enterprises to embark on the brand path. Without a strong self-confidence that can surpass all competitors, it is impossible to truly start on the brand path. So-called first-tier brands deserve respect from all competitors, but they must never be feared. Some marketing personnel, distributors, and even business owners, when facing strong competitors, often feel fear, thinking they are not on the same level as their competitors and cannot defeat them, thus missing valuable business opportunities. Little do they know that the marketing personnel of so-called first-tier brands are also panicking inside when facing attacks from competitors. Therefore, to build a brand, you must first "despise" the brand and see its true face. Change in Image Awareness: After seeing the true face of a brand, you must learn from it. As the saying goes, "Whatever you do, be like it." The same applies to building a brand. If your product, team, and operating system do not look like a brand, you will never be associated with a "brand." First, consider image. All aspects that display the company's image to the outside world, such as product image and team image, should learn from "brands." Do not look like a motley crew; have a unified style and temperament. Second, consider awareness. Awareness is the hardest to cultivate but is also the most important part of brand building. To build a brand, you must believe you are a brand. As the saying goes, "If you don't treat yourself as a person, how can others treat you as a person?" Similarly, you must first arm your ideology to win. Change in Tactical Application: Ideological arming must not be excessive; otherwise, you may misjudge the situation and invest blindly. If you start by lining up against "first-tier brands" and engage in a frontal battle, you will surely die. At this time, you must assess the situation, focus your superior resources, and break through at one point. As Mr. Wang Guanqun, author of "Focus," said:
"If you can't be the first in the country, be the first in a province; if you can't be the first in a province, be the first in a city; if you can't be the first in a city, be the first on a street or in a channel." What is being first? Being first is team confidence, corporate belief, and the horn for corporate development. With being first, even if it is insignificant, it will tell you, "You can do it," "You are capable," and "You can beat so-and-so." Investments of tens of millions or hundreds of millions are certainly beyond the reach of "no-name" enterprises. But focusing the entire company's efforts to create a "first" market should not be too difficult for any enterprise. Change in Brand Image: Achieving "first" is the first step in brand building. As time passes, with continuous accumulation and precipitation, within this small regional scope, "first" will transform into a "brand." Once a "brand" is established, the enterprise will undergo a qualitative change from the inside out: internally, it boosts morale and consolidates core competitiveness; externally, it shapes its image and enhances partners' confidence. The road ahead will become smoother. By continuously replicating the "first" operating model, the enterprise will keep surpassing competitors on the brand path, and even reaching the industry leader position is within sight. Looking at the history of FMCG development, all well-known "first-tier brands" started being surpassed at a certain point, and then began to collapse across the board. We have now entered an era of severe product surplus. To "move up," you must defeat others. Simply making "good" products is no longer enough to "move up."