The Brand Builders

They developed education programs for children, families and

adults covering everything from bird and wildflower identification to Southwest

Florida’s hydrology and how to influence government officials.

Through these efforts, Corkscrew has positioned itself as a

lobbying power and source of environmental information, Preddy says.

Five Tips for Creating an Image

Have a business plan and review it on a regular basis. If an

image or objective is murky, it’s probably better to do nothing rather than to

do something poorly. “It costs you 10 times more to change a mindset,” says

Chris Spiro.

Consider everything in terms of your image. Pay attention to

details, especially customer service. “You can put money into a newspaper and

get the phone to ring, but if the phone isn’t being answered right, not only

did that person go away, but they tell other people that they had that

encounter,” Teri Hansen says.

Stay focused. Printed materials should have a consistent

look without having too many messages. Don’t spread your dollars too thin. “A

lot of companies give $100 to 20 charitable organizations instead of

identifying a partnership with one organization and giving a significant amount

to that organization and gaining consumer awareness of what they’ve done,” Amy

Gravina says.

Network. Join an organization that supports your core

values, whether it’s a Rotary, chamber of commerce, or committee, Laurel Smith

says. Those relationships help spread the word about your business.

Invest in research. It can strengthen your position in the

market. Resources include Edison Community College’s business development and

marketing seminars, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) and Florida

Gulf Coast University’s Center for Innovative Leadership.