Archive for the ‘Branding’ Category
BRANDS IN A MICROWAVE WORLD
Tags: Branding
Brands are decision making shortcuts in a fast paced world. People will frequently choose a well-branded product or service that’s inferior and more expensive, over a non-branded product or service, that’s superior and 30% cheaper.
Think about it. Prospects trust brands. A brand is a promise… a promise that you’ll do what say you will do. Offer your clients a shortcut. Build and strengthen your brand.
THE $400 GRAND BRAND
Tags: Branding
Harry Beckwith shares the following true story in his book, Selling The Invisible.
Two men spent 7 years building a contracting company into a successful business. In 1995, a man came along and offered them $400,000 for the business. The company had no assets, employees, inventory, non-proprietary products or services, no accounts receivable, and no real estate.
The only assets were the name and client list.
It wasn’t the client list the buyer was after, since there was very little repeat business. In fact, repeat business wasn’t much better than a funeral parlor.
Moreover, the client list was only of any value at all if and only if the clients perceived, that in light of a transfer of ownership, that they would continue to receive the same standard of quality.
In other words… THE BUYER JUST WANTED TO BUY THE BRAND, after just 7 years of work.
A successful brand is money. Build your brand.
SATISFIED CUSTOMERS WILL NOT GROW YOUR BUSINESS
Mandy; an executive at Microsoft, is looking to potentially recruit the services of a business consulting company. She remembers that her long-time friend and contemporary in Chicago had previously recruited a particular consulting company for similar purposes. Mandy calls her friend in Chicago to inquire about her experience.
In speaking with her friend in Chicago, she replies to Mandy… “I was satisfied.”
Does her lukewarm response inspire Mandy to pursue, let alone recruit the services of this consulting company? No. Absolutely not.
Continue to better your services and the experience of your clients. Don’t fall victim to the Lake Wobegon Effect, by believing that you’ve already arrived… that you’re better than you actually are.
You can always be better. Probably much better. Relentlessly refine and improve your services. Be exceptional!
Please feel free to share your comments. I’m always thrilled to know if I’ve helped you, your business or organization in any way. - Brian
APPLE VERSUS MICROSOFT: 3 CRITICAL QUALITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL BRAND
Tags: Apple, Army, Branding, Coca-Cola, Harry Beckwith, McDonalds, Microsoft
Every successful brand exhibits 3 critial qualities… direction, breadth and depth.
DIRECTION
Consumers tend to jump on bandwagons of successful brands heading up, and tend to leap off of failing brands heading down. What direction is your brand headed?
BREADTH
Coke Cola is the world’s “broadest” product brand, and McDonald’s and the United States Army are the two broadest service brands. Branding expert; Harry Beckwith, submits that the breadth of a brand is an enormous asset. It implies the service’s wide-spread acceptance and continuous satisfactory performance over the test of time.
DEPTH | APPLE & MICROSOFT
Harry shares the following illustration in his book, The Invisible Touch. On an airplane in route to Microsoft headquarters… a researcher surveyed the fellow passengers by asking the following question… “What do you think of when you think of Microsoft?” Almost everyone answered with the same associated response…
“1. Big, 2. Rich fellow (Bill Gates), and 3. Techies.”
These consistent definitions illustrated the weaknesses in Microsoft’s marketing arsenal. Their brand has no more than a neutral meaning. It has no depth.
On the other hand… the same passengers were asked the same question about Apple. Their answers were…
“1. Creative, 2. Fun, 3. User-friendly and 4. Pretty cool.”
Apple’s brand has exceptional depth, and a meaning that others aspire to. Apple might lack the “breadth” of Microsoft, but clearly has more “depth.”
IN DEVELOPING YOUR BRAND, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS
1. What do you want your brand to represent?
2. What attractive and desirable qualities should your brand embody?
Once you’ve determined what your brand is to to represent to your clients and prospects… embed that meaning into everything your company or organization does… from the sign over the door, to your website, to your email and print marketing, to the person answering the phones, to the service and support your company offers.
LEARN FROM MARTIN SKLAR & WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING
Tags: Branding, Business, Disney, Marketing, Martin Sklar
Martin Sklar; Vice Chairman and Principal Creative Executive Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) created 6 commandments, or rules for building and space design, but they also apply to your identity and marketing efforts… everything from your lobby to your letterhead and print collateral, from your website(s), to your email marketing.
They are as follows:
COMMANDMENT 1: Wear your guest’s shoes. Never forget the human factor. Keep your marketing and environment personable.
COMMANDMENT 2. Create a weenie… a visual centerpiece that draws people to it.
COMMANDMENT 3. Avoid Overload. K.I.S.S.
COMMANDMENT 4. Tell one story at a time.
COMMANDMENT 5. Avoid visual contradictions. Maintain a consistent identity.
COMMANDMENT 6. Keep it up. No crumbs, no loose threads, nothing.
Your environment and marketing tools are crucial to your client’s experience. Make yours exceptional!
Harry Beckwith cites in his book “What Clients Love…”
“Your space; a key element of your packaging, does more than project how special you are. It reminds your clients of how special they are.”