When you mention "brand" to most people, they think of logos. The Nike swoosh, Coca-Cola's script, etc.

Few realize that while a logo is part of a brand, a brand encompasses much more. It’s the sum of all customer experiences. So how can you measure a brand? The easiest way is to pay attention to all the stories, comments, myths, and feedback that are circulating. With the Internet, it's much easier than it used to be. You no longer have to hire an expensive research firm to conduct surveys. Jut pay attention to what's being said.

Use the internet. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites. Subscribe to Google alerts and other services that can make searching easier. Then simply pay attention to the conversation.

In the past, the focus of many web-development teams was directed at the visual appeal of the site and, depending on the business, a SEO strategy to increase page rankings. Considering that most of the business folks just wanted to leave the website to the techies, this was a natural development. The problem with this method is that users who landed on the site didn’t always see a lot of substance behind the graphics. Without engaging material, they quickly moved on.

At the same time, the “real” business behind the website didn’t really get a lot of value from these websites either. The attractive pages did serve to give the company an online presence and a cool URL to print on business cards and company letterhead, but no one was sure what else it did. Without a reliable measurement tool, it was a shot in the dark for many operations.

The Adobe Business Catalyst platform is changing how the world thinks about websites. In fact, its mission is not to build cutting-edge websites like so many other products promise; the goal of the Business Catalyst platform is to achieve your ultimate goal: building a thriving online business that attracts customers and generates revenue. With this plan, you won’t sacrifice a thing. Because Adobe, the leading provider of design-related software, is the driving force behind the Business Catalyst, your website will still look great!

Let’s take a look at what your business will get when you go with a hosted E-Commerce system created by Sanford Web Systems powered by Business Catalyst:

• Integrated Content Management – With this feature, you can concentrate on delivering just the right message to your customer without worrying about how you will deliver it. Again, you don’t compromise a thing – you’ll still get all the benefits of SEO strategies, Flash, CSS, and more but without the coding hassles.
• Turn-key E-Commerce – This is what you’re really looking for! Setting up an online store can be a complicated process. With a fully-hosted platform, you’re up and running right out of the box. In addition to making your life easier, a smooth-running online business will make your customers happier and more likely to purchase from you time and again.
• An Integrated Customer Database – Of course, you want to get to know your customers like any good shopkeeper. With this user-friendly customer database, you’ll know everything you need to know without a lot of clutter to get in your way – all without the first bit of coding on your part.
• Seamless Email Marketing – Who just waits around for their customers to return? Even brick-and-mortar stores send out special offers and promotional material. This email tool integrates with that great customer database to put this important information to work. With a little reminder about how great your products are, your customers will keep walking through your online door to make new purchases.
• Reporting and Analytics – Analytics is more than just the hot new buzzword in the E-Commerce game. Without the right information organized to tell you what you really need to know, you don’t have a firm foundation of knowledge to use as a basis for your decisions. With this tool, you’ll always be sure about your future direction.

Isn’t it about time that you made the jump from a mere website to a full-featured online business?