Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the

It's true that some people seem to fall upon it by chance and readily make their way from one end to the other. For most of us though, it's a route taken with difficulty and marked by mis-steps and wrong turnings.

That shouldn't surprise us. If you understand a brand to be the relationship between you and your customer, then you'll know how hard it can be to plot the course of a relationship with any certainty.

It isn't possible to chart every feature on the road or each twist and turn along the way but we can make plans for the journey that prepare us for what might lie ahead and give us a greater chance of success.

Step 1- Start with the end in mind.

Don't just set off in hope.

Be clear from the beginning what brand success means for you and what a brand can and can't do for your business. Typically, your brand should support your business goals by helping you to build and maintain a great relationship with your customers.

There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure) or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness), and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).

Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell, so you're looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound reasons to invest their time, energy, attention and money in your business.

Your road to brand success should lead you there.

Step 2- Get the lie of the land.

Check local knowledge.

It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the

It isn't possible to chart every feature on the road or each twist and turn along the way but we can make plans for the journey that prepare us for what might lie ahead and give us a greater chance of success.

Step 1- Start with the end in mind.

Don't just set off in hope.

Be clear from the beginning what brand success means for you and what a brand can and can't do for your business. Typically, your brand should support your business goals by helping you to build and maintain a great relationship with your customers.

There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure) or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness), and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).

Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell, so you're looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound reasons to invest their time, energy, attention and money in your business.

Your road to brand success should lead you there.

Step 2- Get the lie of the land.

Check local knowledge.

It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the

There should be a purpose to this relationship for both you and your customer. You bring them something important (for example, security or pleasure) or move them from one place to another (say, from a state of anxiety to calmness), and they give you something in return (usually, but not always, money).

Remember that people make sense of their lives in the stories they tell, so you're looking for a story that describes for your customers the experience of that business relationship with you. That story should give your customers sound reasons to invest their time, energy, attention and money in your business.

Your road to brand success should lead you there.

Step 2- Get the lie of the land.

Check local knowledge.

It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the

Your road to brand success should lead you there.

Step 2- Get the lie of the land.

Check local knowledge.

It's unlikely that you're the first to cross the territory that lies ahead. Others will have made maps and noted landmarks. They'll know which stretches of the road are safe and where there are dangers.

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the

Listen to their stories. Whilst they can seem fantastical, folklore, anecdote and myth will often point towards what's really of importance in this new world. Sometimes, even plain old gossip can prove useful.

Don't forget to talk to your customers. They live and work here, and they will know the territory well. But don't expect them to make the journey for you. This is your role, you are the leader of the expedition.

You must decide which paths to take and which to avoid, based on whatever information is available to you.

Step 3- Map your route.

Set your course and choose your guiding star.

As you begin your journey, you will be faced with many roads that you might follow, many ways in which you might tackle what lies ahead.

All relationships are founded on a shared set of values. For some, these are values such as freedom or truth. If you are not to lose your way, you must choose which values will guide you on your journey.

Trace the route that makes most sense for you and for your customers and set your course by the stars, by your guiding principles. Avoid the apparent shortcuts that deflect you from your purpose.

Step 4- Equip yourself for the journey.

Take what you need for the road.

Great businesses play to their strengths. Determine what it is you do well and how that is likely to help you build and maintain your relationship with your customers. Then do it to the best of your ability.

But travel light. Too many people weigh themselves down for what can be a long journey. Trust your own resources and keep it simple. Bring only what you need to feed, water and protect yourself and your customers. Leave the rest behind.

In the same way, choose your travelling companions carefully. You will rely heavily on them. Include only those who can best bring something of value to your relationship with your customer.

Step 5- Be prepared to ask for help.

Don't be too proud.

Assistance can come from the most unexpected quarters. Although you must lead the expedition, you are not expected to go it alone. There