Before we go any further, how can we define what a ‘brand’ is anyway?  A brand is the name, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s product as distinct from other products. Initially, branding was used to differentiate cattle by the use of a distinctive symbol on the animals skin.

As well as being an identifier, a ‘brand’ is the ‘promise of an experience’ and it assures consumers as to the quality of the product or service than can receive.  For example, if you visit a popular fast food chain you can be certain of the quality of the food and you will more often than not enjoy yourself whilst you are there. This experience and quality can generate ‘value’ (in other words it is worth paying more for) and that in turn can lead to customer loyalty.  On that basis: the first questions you need to ask yourself are:

1) How are you different from everyone else in your field?  Are you distinctive enough to stand out from the crowd?
2) Are your live shows an ‘experience’ for your fans?  If they aren’t, what can you do to make them more of an experience?