A "best-seller" brand

Here are the five common elements of a best-seller.

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Besides some good luck, there are certain literary aspects of best-selling novels essential for such acclaim:

1. The plot

A good novel is one that engages immediately and hooks the reader by its content. Offering something important and relevant to the reader are what will create desire in the reader to want to become immersed in the story.

2. The protagonist

Every great novel has a very distinct protagonist or hero (heroine) - and almost always are these characters portrayed as being inwardly strong, principled, and especially adaptive; without making them impressionable.

It is the character of a brand that makes its story.

3. The dialogue

A novel without excellent dialogue is not worth reading. A novel has to have "convincing dialogue" in order for its speakers (characters) to be credible.

With a brand, the communication has to be tailored in such a way that its messages are written or spoken in a sincere way. There is nothing more off-putting than insincere or unconvincing brand messaging.

4. The theme

Throughout a novel there are particular themes by which the plot and characters are gelled. A great book has one main theme with two or three sub-themes that tie up the full meaning of the book.

In the same way, a brand should have a theme - for example, Coca-Cola ran with a great campaign (theme) in which "sharing" was effectively delivered.

5. The moral

Similar to a theme, a best-selling novel always has an ending moral, though not all of them are spelt out. With a brand, a good, solid moral of the story is essential to gain the customer's trust and to build brand credibility.

For example, a brand may show that although trouble is always around the corner "we will always be here to pull you to safety" - this may be good for a private medical aid or security company.

The end

If the brand, which is the story, has the aforementioned elements well under control, the brand will at least be in the running, ready for success.

Finally, although the five elements may be acknowledged, employing the right writer, designer and brand manager is still an important component in building a successful brand - and remember, there is one aspect of this novel-brand comparison that has an exception: in today's visual world, the customer does indeed judge a book by its cover.