When people talk about the brand of their business or they talk about branding themselves, they often think of a logo, something physical or visual that goes along with with what they're trying to do or the message that they're trying to get across. This is totally wrong! A brand is in the mind of the customer. It is a mental image. It's a shortcut to all of the the interactions that they've had. If you think about the burger place with the clown and you're happy with that place, the brand that resides in your head is a good one. However if you are a vegan who is seriously against meat as food, then your brand of these types of places will be a negative one. The brand resides in the head of your customer group, the market that has done business with you and the market wants to do business with you. You can try to influence the brand. You can try to massage the ideas that people have of your business, but a brand is not a logo. A brand is not the sign that hangs above your door. The brand is not the color of the lights that you have as overhead lighting in your retail location. Your brand is not the fact that you've got a white van instead of a blue van. The brand is the shortcut to the emotions inside the brain of your clients and potential clients. Let me know what you think your brand is below.