How To Build an Iconic Brand: Techniques Learned From Successful Brands

While I was on vacation with my family recently, I enjoyed a Starbucks latte by the marina. Of course, as an entrepreneur, I couldn't just sit and mindlessly enjoy my morning coffee. I looked at the ubiquitous logo on the cup and thought about the massive brand that Starbucks has built over the years. It all began over 50 years ago in Seattle, Washington. Fifty years is a long time to build a brand. Naturally, they have faced issues along the way, from supply chain struggles to market saturation, but they continued to move forward and are now the third largest fast food chain in the world after McDonald's and Subway.

The Legendary Pink's Hot Dogs

It also made me think about another iconic brand, someone I recently had the pleasure of chatting with. If you are from the LA area, you are likely familiar with Richard Pink of the legendary Pink's Hot Dogs. Pink's was started by Richard's parents over 80 years ago. They borrowed $50 from their parents to purchase a hot dog cart. Richard's mother wheeled the cart about two miles, to what is now West Hollywood. The cart needed electricity, which they didn't have access to, so they made a deal with a nearby hardware store to buy an extension cord, and in exchange, they could plug it into the hardware store's outlet. Richard says his parents taught him the value of hard work.

Pink's could have remained a simple hot dog cart since Richard's parents didn't want to expand, but as Richard became more involved, he began to appreciate the value of the brand his parents had built. He wanted to scale and grow the business, and he searched for ways to continue to build the brand with minimal investment. Pink's Hot Dogs already had a reputation among the film crowd as it was well-located near the studios. In fact, Orson Welles holds the all-time record for the number of Pink's hot dogs eaten in one setting—18.

Pink's has always been involved in charity work, from their current "Let's Help Ukraine" hot dog to their "Chili Dogs for Charity" promotion. They gained traction from the publicity, as well as the growth in interest in food and travel television shows. Cross-promotion is a great way to gain exposure without breaking the bank. Fortuitous timing along with some clever brand-building ideas helped this brand become the icon that it is today.

My company has been around since 2015, a short time compared with the two icons I discuss above. How old is your business? You may be a startup struggling with building your brand, but don't ever give up. Starbucks would not be where it is today if its leaders had given up.

Five Brand-Building Techniques

1. Be consistent. Your message is key, whether you're trying to build a global brand or just staying laser-focused on developing a local market. Make sure your mission statement and company values align with your brand to ensure the continuity of your message.

2. Show up every single day. It is often not the most intelligent or talented person who is the most successful, but rather the person who shows up every single day and doesn't give up.

3. Write blog posts. Share your unique knowledge and experience on your company website and forums like Linkedin regularly. Figure out what makes you different from your competition and let people know about it.

4. Use social media. I try to post brief videos with ideas and inspiration, like today's thoughts on branding, inspired by my latte. You never know when inspiration will strike, so be ready to grab your phone and create some content.

5. Engage in active networking. I am in several networking and leadership organizations, where we meet regularly to connect and share industry knowledge. I look at every encounter as an opportunity. From the person sitting next to me on the plane to someone I meet at a convention, I truly believe there are no coincidences in life. Your paths have crossed for a reason, and it's up to you to find out why.

Over time, if you apply these techniques with consistent effort, you will create a successful brand not only for today but, perhaps like Pink's Hot Dogs, for the next generation.