The sound of a Ferrari engine or the Netflix ta-dum. The smell that tells you, anywhere in the world, that there’s a Subway franchise around the corner. Or the safety talks that make you want to listen to Southwest Airlines’ staff. These are all important assets that build equity for their brands—they’re key to the way audiences perceive and relate to the companies and products.

A friend who worked on the Cap’n Crunch account at Quaker actually told me, “There’s equity in roof shred.”

Some associations may not be pleasant but remain integral to the brand—say, the way Cap’n Crunch cereal destroys your mouth if you dig in too quickly after adding milk. (A friend who worked on the Cap’n Crunch account at Quaker actually told me, “There’s equity in roof shred.”) Others, like the unique pong of an Apple store, can be an issue. In Apple’s case, one that persists in spite of the company’s efforts to improve ventilation as early as 2014.

It’s certainly easier to define attributes for consumer products and brands—you can smell a Sharpie, hold a Dairy Queen Blizzard upside-down, taste and see the Skittles rainbow. But that doesn’t mean B2B companies and service providers don’t have them. They’re often just harder to pin down.

So what attributes do users and prospects associate with your brand? You’ll immediately think of your logo and colors. Maybe a tagline and typeface. You’ll be tempted to add your people. But keep in mind—every company says it’s their people. The world only believes that if your people consistently deliver in a distinct way.

Start with your own audit. Capture all the trademarks, logos, ideas, phrases, images, etc. that are key to your brand. Are your SMEs known in the industry? Do you use an animal to sell insurance? Do your customer service reps all sign off the same way?

To go deeper, find out what people are saying and asking about you. Your customer service team will have some insights, as will a social media listening tool. Google your company and brands to see what people are searching. Put together a quick customer survey, asking what words and ideas come to mind when they hear your name, see your logo, interact with your people. These steps can also identify negative associations you might want to fix.

Your list of associations may be less about tastes and smells and more about:

• Your leaders
• Language, voice and tone
• How you engage with people or deliver products
• Events and activities
• Causes you support
• Political positions or news stories
• Popular or polarizing people
• Competitive advantages (or disadvantages)

Once you have a list, strike any attributes shared with your competitors. Brand assets have to be ideas that are linked only to you, so focus on things you are able to own. Then, police your distinct attributes and associations as carefully as you protect your logo and tagline. Because these are characteristics that people have attached to your brand, they can be even more powerful than the colors and words you choose for yourself.

Wondering how the world sees you—or how to make the most of the brand attributes you know you have? From research and strategy to execution across every channel, FATFREE is here to help. Let’s chat.