Page 38 - Branding Yourself and Your Business

34 ROBERT DRAKES

being first into the category in your home country. You will also
want your brand to be a fit into the countries into which you want
to expand. This will take some time and research on your part,
so it behooves you to get started right away once you know that
your brand is a hit in your home country. If you are a company
that makes winter clothing, you will not be successful if you try to
expand into Jamaica, not a good fit.

Thinking globally should be in your mind when you are coming
up with the name of your brand and product. English is the second
most used language across the globe so it is best to use it for your
product and logo. The most people speak Chinese, but most of
them are in China. When thinking of the name for your product and
brand it is important that you think about going globally, you do not
want the name to mean one thing in English and another thing in
another language, perhaps something that could be taken as
offensive in a country that you are expanding into. Giving brands
and product names in English as already been adopted by
countries that do not even speak the language as their mother
tongue. Diesel jeans come from Italy, and Red Bull, which sound
like an all-American beverage comes from Austria.