Tesla. Pinkberry. Rue LaLa. Forever 21.

What do a fully electric powered car, a healthy yogurt, an online retailer and a thriving brick and mortar retail chain all have in common? They are all building strong brands and surviving (thriving?) in an otherwise dismal economic environment.

And they are not alone. Despite the horrors presented on the evening news and 24/7 cable news cycle, we see new successful business concepts and growing enterprises on the local, regional and national levels. Housing starts may be down, but America’s business environment moves forward each and every day thanks to these entrepreneurial organizations. And it’s true for businesses selling goods and services from $2 to $125,000.

One of the key things I see in these companies is a strong understanding of their target market and an investment in a strong brand strategy. Take Pinkberry for instance. There are many new frozen yogurt concepts popping up all around the country. But the customers are lining up at Pinkberry. That brand, through store design, PR and other visibility, has established itself as the premiere purveyor of healthy frozen yogurt. The hour wait you see at many of their stores is proof positive of the value of a great brand.

Forever 21 is continuing to grow and prosper in part because they are very clear for whom they exist. Their target market loves the way they stay in touch with style, affordable pricing and great looking shopping environments. No wonder the company is becoming a department store anchor in many successful malls around the U.S.

And then there’s Tesla, a fully electric sports car being made in Silicon Valley. If you’re going to sell a $125,000 car to mainstream America, you’d best have a solid brand strategy. Tesla does just that! From showrooms that are called “galleries” to concierge level service anywhere in the U.S. to the value of a green or sustainable brand, Tesla is building brand credibility with its customers and target markets as well as the media.

The lessons here apply to any company, striving to survive in these economic times. Small or large. Business-to-business or business-to-consumer.  Investing in a strong and well developed brand strategy is one important component to business success.

Now that I have that off my chest, I wonder how long the line is at Pinkberry today?

Robert Hockaday, eQSolaris CEO

I spent an amazing afternoon yesterday coaching some really bright people with innovative, technically advanced products and services at the Rocky Mountain CleanTech Open (CTO) on their marketing efforts. The purpose of the afternoon was to help them outline strategies and tactics on how to get their products and services in the hands of those companies that will either invest in, buy products from or partner with the company. The CTO had prepared the finalists with tools to outline their positioning statements, unique value proposition and target markets, but they needed to outline how they would get the attention of their target audiences.

Here are some questions to answer when outlining your cleantech marketing plan:

•    How will you establish credibility in the field when you’re a start-up entity, especially when you may not have a commercial product yet?

•    What information and key messages will my target audience need and when?

•    What means of communication will my target audience respond to?

•    How will you show your competitive advantage, your unique distinction in the marketplace that’s meaningful to your potential customer/partners/investor?

Answering these questions will get a start-up well on their way to developing marketing strategies and tactics that make up their overall marketing plan.