10 Things I Hate About Branding
ONE:
Frankly it takes a lot of work to stay on top of my brand. If only I could just push a button like the Staples “Easy Button” ( which I have on my desk). I hate that I can’t!
TWO:
I hate having to remind businesses that their brand is more than their logo. I have every design shop and ad specialty shop to blame for the mis-information I guess. (I could be painting with big a brush too)
THREE:
I hate companies who don’t realize that branding is a top down initiative. Without the captain on board, who’s piloting the brand?
FOUR:
Just too many great books to read. I’m stuck on historical fiction right now and so slipping in books on branding is a tight fit – I hate that.
FIVE:
I hate those who confuse their brand message with their slogan. There is a difference. I guess since they are both important, I should be happy that they have anything.
SIX:
I hate followers. Why do some businesses still feel they must follow the leader in their category? A commenter to one of my articles recently lamented their displeasure at businesses who copy the leader’s image almost to the letter. Sheesh!
SEVEN:
I also hate people online who make the simple complicated in an attempt to screw a few dollars out of your pocket, only to reveal the obvious. If you see something online you want to get into, email the author – I’m sure they’ll help you.
EIGHT:
I love it when someone says, “Hey, you’re the branding guy!” I hate that it took so long.
NINE:
Sometimes I hate that consistency is worth so much to your brand. I get the itch like many of us to change things up a bit. BUT, my better judgement knows that that would diminish what I have achieved so far.
TEN:
Sometimes I hate focus groups when judging brand image. By their nature they look to criticize regardless if it is even necessary. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut. Was your brand built on consensus or instinct?
Thanks for letting me vent a small bit, I hate keeping it bottled up inside.
Webalue: Good News For Your Online Brand!
How To Snatch The Golden COIN!
COIN – Circle Of Influence Networking.
On a regular basis, I am on the look out for new opportunities for companies and individuals within my circle of influence. Whether they are located within my immediate market, across the continent or around the world, I am keeping their best interests in mind. As you might imagine, I speak with CEO’s from many different types of companies all the time. If for instance, I speak with a manufacturer, I immediately curious as to who supplies their pallets or wood packaging? I have a client contact who does that. What about corrugated packaging? Looking to tie the knot, perhaps it would benefit you to speak with Atlanta’s ONLY Intimate Bridal Salon? No matter what the situation, I love the idea of my clients doing business together.
I subscribe to a service that looks for news sources. Whenever I spot a topic that a reporter is looking to research and one of my clients would fit the bill, then I pass it on. I consider these efforts part of my overall marketing strategy. One thing that it helps to spur is additional business. It keeps me on their radar. We are referring each other. Much of my new business is from referral. I see it as a two-way street.
Don’t forget that branding is all about the relationship. Take a look at your typical week. I’ll bet that you too trip over situations where your customers could benefit. Take for instance a retailer – if you’re smart and you’re building a customer database, find out what they do. Imagine if you were able to link them up with an opportunity? How golden would you be to them?
If you send out a monthly html newsletter to your list, feature a customer. It’s the little things that make a huge impact. When you’re in their company, pay close attention to what they’re saying about their daily lives. An irritant might possibly be addressed by someone within your circle of influence. What you will definitely find happening as a result of this, is that your customers will start looking out for you.
None of us are any different – we are all looking for new business. Ask your customers what they’re looking for?
Make COIN pay off for you!
How to Get Smart Going Mobile!
For the past several months I’ve been intrigued by the concept of mobile advertising. I wanted to know how 
it worked and why would anyone call up an ad? I immediately bought the domain “www.thebrandingexperts” (view this on a Blackberry). The way I look at it is, mobile media is another great avenue to deliver your quality content. I picture my audience sitting in airports, hotel rooms etc. reading information delivered to their Blackberrys from The Branding Experts. My first offering is my current FREE newsletter, “Useful Information #53.” One of the nice things about mobile promotion is that you can have email links as well as phone links. Immediate contact, without looking up a number. Think about the convenience – you can send your clients to a department menu with direct phone links to relevant officers. You can link to other great mobile tools appearing with regularity as this medium discovers itself.
The beauty of mobile design is that there is no zooming to see a web page as the site is designed specifically to be viewed on your smart phone. Picture this: Up comes your brand image followed by a menu. Clicking on any of the topics brings up that story. The text is a perfect size for reading. You just scroll through the content. Hyper-links are spread through out, similar to computer based websites. It couldn’t be any simpler. Tie in audio and video and you can find yourself delivering some pretty potent content.
From a design perspective, it is still relatively rudementary. It reminds me of the beginnings of the commercial web, when we were all designing to Mosaic. There are no standards yet, so you essentially have to pick your mobile device of choice. I went with the #1 business smart phone – Blackberry. From my view point – any media that puts my brand message directly in the hands of a prospective customer is a great thing that I want to take advantage of. Drop me a line if your interested in some assistance in building your mobile presence.
It’s pretty powerful.mobi!
Your Audience Deserves Your Very Best.
My wife and I were out with friends recently and talk of my recent art exhibit came up. I paint in watercolor, and I held a studio Christmas show. (www.EdRoachWatercolors.com) My friends and my wife all thought I had blown an opportunity to sell a certain painting to a guest. They remarked how the guest remarked how they had liked the painting and how “I talked them out of it”. I “missed a sale,” they said.
Here’s what happend:
The painting was part of a stack of work I keep under my work table. I consider these junk. I keep them to remind myself of my progress. They are not meant for sale. The person in question spotted this pile and asked to see them. I obliged. There was one in particular she admired and said she’d like to buy it. Here’s where the source criticism comes into play. I proceeded to explain why the painting was not good enough to sell. I had painted another cat, and the effect was striking, as you see in the photo here. The painting was soft and somewhat menacing. This second one was too harsh. It did not have the sophistication of it’s sister painting. For this reason, I deemed it not worthy. It didn’t put out the feeling I was looking for. I felt it valuable that the guest understand that my vision for this painting was important and that it was especially critical that only my best work be out there. I don’t want my brand to be tainted “for the sale”. My friends were aghast that I would talk the guest out of a sale – after all it was an art show. They offered to attend the next show and help me sell. I’m afraid they might sell my drawing board if someone made an offer:)
I believe you must have standards. When I discuss my art, and my branding business, I try my best to educate. Explaining what to look for. I don’t want my audience to be taken in by mere flash, it is important to appreciate what makes something great and what does not.
I suppose the cat on it’s own my be OK, but it did not fulfill the criteria of my vision. My goal is to create a series of cats, with much the same expression and style. I mostly paint landscape but I keep my hands in every subject so that I will grow across all. When a painting or branding project “works”, it is a great source of pride. It is very fulfilling for the artist and patron. Both “get it.”
Be sure not to prostitute your services just to make a buck, or your brand will stand for nothing.
Who You Are, How You’re Saying It and Do They Care?
Your corporate brand essentially involves two parties – you and them. It is the key in marketing yourself to be sure that you are resonating with your target audience. It’s time that you did some key research from three strategic perspectives:
ONE: Tell us – who are you?
It’s important to know who you are. In the past companies developed mission statements to define who they are. Many times it was wishful thinking. I’ve helped companies determine their brand values and personalities to help them understand who they are. One good way is to ask employees and principals for their understanding of who they think you are. Be honest with this evaluation because you want a clear statement.
TWO: What are you saying you are?
Do a communications audit of your company? In your marketing materials, what is the message you are sending? Does it differ from the “who you are statement” in step ONE? Is your corporate brand image in line with who you say you are? Is your materials consistent in their delivery of the “who you are statement”? Consistency of message is paramount.
THREE: What are they saying about you?
What your marketplace thinks of you is your brand. What they understand about your products and services may be completely out of your hands. If you’ve neglected your brand, chances are your competition have defined you, and this is what your marketplace believes to be the truth. Doing a competitive analysis will also assist you in discovering your short comings and establish a position of message.
Taking these three perspectives together using triangulation, you can now determine where you are RIGHT NOW. Digging deeper, you can also discover situations, language and expectations your target audience desire from you. The answers to each of the three perspectives will clearly show if your brand is in trouble and they also provide a strong direction for marketing effectively.
How To Resist The Dark-Side Of The Economy.
It is exactly these economic times that branding importance comes into play. When I sit down with corporate branding teams, the very first component of my Brand Navigator Process, is to establish the firm’s Corporate Brand Values. The exercise consists of the entire team’s input outlining potential values that exemplify the company’s culture. This brain-storming typically results in dozens and dozens of potential values. From here we whittle it down to a hand-full which are the foundation of the company’s brand.
Feeling quite proud of themselves, the next step is validation. One of the questions is: Can these values remain true in good times and bad. In explaining that, we mean if times are desperate, would they as a company be willing to compromise any of the values to bring money in the door? Now, when times are good, this is a no-brainer question. I rarely get any deep soul-searching delays to this question. Everyone on the team takes the high road and declares their belief, that yes, they would definitely adhere to the values stated under ANY conditions.
If you are watching the financial markets (and we all are), the challenges to our brands are maximizing. Temptation to bring in the dollars at any cost is incredibly tempting. If there was ever a time to capitalize on your brand this is it. Unscrupulous competitors will stoop to any length to get the sale. They will stiff their suppliers, lie to the customers and short change their stake holders. In the short term, they may even look like they are winning. But as your market adapts to the conditions – once the initial shock has passed, it is those among us who stayed true to their Brand values who will ultimately benefit.
The dismal economic climate is actually a fertile ground for opportunity. Feeling your customer’s pain and addressing it quickly are fine brand practices. Take for example WalMart and Toys R Us. Recognizing that a very tight Christmas season is no doubt around the corner, both of these mega-chains know that their traditional customers will be financially stressed. To address this they have immediately announced price roll-backs and have highlighted name-brand toys that they will have available for under $10., (some cut by half). This is the ‘opportunity’ swiftly embraced by a smart brand.
If you are in the service industry, investigate payment plans for your customers. Recognize their need to grow with you by giving their cash flow a break. One big fee may be a barrier to them at this time, but broken down over six months, it may get you the business, PLUS you will benefit with an enormous amount of good-will.
Hard times, can either turn your brand into a wolf in sheep’s clothing or it can be just the opportunity you need to really show your value. The free advice we dish out in these blogging circles becomes invaluable to companies looking to advance with dwindling resources. Your strength as an entrepreneur will truly be tested in the months ahead of us. The minute you entertain the quick buck is the moment in time that your brand morphs to the dark side. Rise above the temptation. As the economy glows brighter (and it will), how your brand performed amid the darkness will be a testiment to it’s resiliance. Success will be sweeter. Your customers will remember how you were on their team.
How can you use your Brand values to address your barriers to growth in this marketplace? There is no better time to differentiate. Leave the herd mentality to everyone else. To extend the analogy, it is better to be the sheep dog. LEAD instead of follow!
