We live in a world where almost anything you want is one click away.  You want to know the weather in Singapore, no problem. You want to see what your favorite celebrity did 5 minutes ago, check Twitter.  You want to keep mosquitoes away, there's even an app for repelling bugs at your fingertips!  However, if you want a strong brand, you are going to have to patient.

The cornerstones of branding are clarity, consistency and constancy.  However, another vital component is persistence.  Persistence is a little bit differnt than consistency or constancy.  Persistence has a grittier quality.  It implies tenacity, a stick-to-itiveness in the face of a adversity.  Strong brands are built with persistent energy and attention, they are not like rockets that loose their intense power after their initial launch.

All of us face times in building our businesses, our brands, or our lists when it feels like we are Sisyphus.  We put out or marketing messages, we Tweet, we blog, we speak and still it feels like nothing is happening.  However, things are happening.  It takes time and multiple exposures for your audience to get familiar with your brand.  Think of the "overnight" success of stars like Leonardo DiCaprio who  had to work his way through bit parts on shows from Romper Room to Growing Pains.  He then had to beat out 400 other actors to win the role of Tobias This Boy's Life before going on to his blockbuster, Titanic.  This took persistence. Now he is a KNOWN, reliable brand within his industry and to his public audience.

So be clear, be consistent and be constant, but also be persist, persist, persist.  Each small success along the way will create ripple effects. You WILL grow your brand and your business.  Remember the tortoise wins the race!