For entrepreneurs who only get to eat what they kill, new business hunting is an important corporate activity. Can’t find anything, we go hungry – not a happy state of affairs!

Hunting might mean advertising, sending an email blast or networking. The whole purpose is to identify suspects, whom we can convert into prospects and eventually customers.

Converting suspects to prospects and customers is seldom easy. But it can go a whole lot better if you’ve set your trap – your BrandTrap that is.

Every successful business has a BrandTrap. Don’t worry, it won’t get you into hot water with Ducks Unlimited or any other like-minded group. The trap is baited with the position you’ve staked out in the marketplace. Your brand. The way your organization and the products and services you offer are thought of by the people you’re trying to reel in. That’s the whole reason for proactive branding – to distinguish your organization from others…to become known for something that resonates with suspects and prospects…and to make it absolutely clear what you stand for and why someone should consider doing business with your firm.

Think about Russell Oliver, the Cashman, whose in-your-face ads have helped make him one very wealthy man. You might not like his style, but you have to admire his audacity and tenacity. If you live in Southern Ontario and have some jewellery to sell, Oliver Jewellery is one stop you just have to make.

What are you known for? What position have you staked out in the hearts and minds of those who are important to your success? If that’s not absolutely clear, consider asking a few friends and business associates a simple question, “When you think of me what comes to mind?” This is probably something that should not be done face-to-face. Let’s face it, if someone thinks you’re a schmuck they’re unlikely to own up to it. Do it by email or, better still, enlist the help of a friend or colleague. And include a ‘Not Sure’ category. A bunch of ticks in this box can be just as telling as any other feedback you get.

Remember, positioning is not about who you are. It’s about identifying a space that you can own, something uniquely yours that resonates with prospects and customers, finding out what people think you are, and building a strategy to close the gap between these two points.