Info-Leeches and other E-Invertebrates

As the chief marketing communication officer in your organization, we challenge you to take an important and not-as-difficult-as-it-seems step in your day-to-day management of communications and sales support activities. It’s time to find out what is your brand identity.

We will warn you that facing this challenge may change how that day-to-day communication takes place. So, buckle up and let’s start.

First of all, if your company is like most B-to-Bs, you probably pay homage to the logo that you see everyday when you walk through the lobby to your vast and plush office. Or smile at the clever (even brilliant) well-designed literature that you worked so hard to produce, and that is receiving praise across the organization…and even with clients and prospects. You have, perhaps unknowingly, developed a strong perception of what that company mark stands for. And, that’s not all bad.

But, whether you have or haven’t is not the issue, really. What is most important is that you can separate your own perceptions with true client/prospect perceptions of your brand identity.

How to get to the bottom of the brand

Here are some things we know about brand identity:

1. Brand identity is not just the reaction one has, conscious or not, when they see or hear about your company.

2. Brand identity includes perceptions clients/prospects hold based on their interaction with every part of your company and each individual, as well.

3. Brand identity can develop from rumor, or third-party influence.

4. Brand identity can be altered, for good or bad.

5. Brand identity lives and breathes.

6. Brand identity can be measured.

Stop! Let’s pause…we could go on forever. Let’s focus on #6 in our list:

Brand identity can be measured. Whether you have a sizeable budget for marketing research or not, you should, if you haven’t already, undergone a simple process of analyzing what is your identity? And in what condition is your brand? Of course, this will require that you survey key internal individuals (be sure to include sales representatives and key C-level officers), clients, prospects and even partners and vendors. Anonymity will be required, but make sure you can identify which survey group results are obtained from – this will be critical in your analysis.

Size of sample

If you have the budget, survey at least 20-30 from employees, clients, prospects, and vendors/partners. If not, get at least 10 from each group.

Survey Format

Ask open-ended questions that get respondents to describe what their experience is with your company: what your company stands for, strengths and weaknesses, of most value, of least value, and how they would define your company’s products/services. Finally, ask them if they do business with your company. Also, ask why they do or don’t.

Gap Analysis

What you’ll likely determine from this qualitative research is that there is a gap between what the internal responses portray about your company or brand in comparison to what the prospects and clients perceive. You may find, for example, that your sales force perceives the brand as high value, while prospect responses were riddled with “too expensive” or “unresponsive.”

What’s Next?

Once you have identified trends or commonality in specific group responses, identify areas of action. These will include two approaches: A) Leverage areas of strength, and B) Address areas of weakness that detract from the company’s vision for the brand.

By completing this simple analysis, your marketing communication planning is greatly empowered to address brand identity issues and make supportable and positive steps toward building and maintaining your brand in the marketplace. And you will never approach advertising, Web design, internet marketing or Web functionality, html emails, copywriting, direct mail, public relations, video production, or internal communication (see Make Internal Communication A Priority) without considering the well-being of the brand.

Opportunity: If you would like Danskin Creative Communication to assist you with this process, in marketing communication plan development, or with execution of marketing initiatives, please contact us by phone or email.

For over 20 years, Mick Danskin has been obsessing over marketing and advertising strategy and execution. He brings that passion, along with an open mind and a team of seasoned professionals to his clients’ marketing communication challenges.

Danskin Creative Communication services small to medium sized companies who need business to business or consumer advertising, Web site design and marketing, SEO, video production, PR, and general graphic design services.

Visit the Web site at: http://www.danskincreative.com

Your consumers are bombarded
everyday with thousands of brand images and sales pitches. “In order to survive
the onslaught of choices, consumers make snap judgments.”

I read this in a book that was recommended to me entitled All Marketers Are
Liars. What’s fascinating about most of us is that we consistently make judgments
on very little information. In effect, consumers absorb little bits of information
(like seeing your logo or business card) and then make judgments and predictions
about your business based on the little input they’ve been exposed
to.

Don’t believe me?

Well, have you ever made up your mind about a political candidate without ever
meeting her/him? How about picking a movie based on the ads in the paper? If you
shop online, do you make a decision on how reputable the company is based on their
Web site? Yep, we all make snap decisions. This is the reason
that speed dating has been so popular and effective for people—we all make
snap judgments based on a first impression.

The truth is, that often, based on a first impression, we consumers make up our
minds instantly—and according to All Marketers Are Liars, consumers
stick to those decisions like a barnacle on a sailboat. Once the snap
decision has been made, consumers seek out information that supports their snap
judgments and ignore information that doesn’t. For consumers, this approach saves
an immense amount of time and keeps them from going nuts; for savvy business owners,
this screams, “My first impression better be a good one.”

So what does all this mean to you?

This is why having a professional, marketing-focused and consistent business
identity is so important. The truth is, your customers make snap judgments,
and once those decisions are made, they are tough to change. So you want to make
certain that the first impression your customers might receive from you (business
card, logo, phone call from you, Web site, brochure, signage, etc) is the impression
that you want to send to them.

Would you like to check out more of All Marketers Are Liars? It is written
by Seth Godin and is available to purchase on Amazon.com. If you are a business
owner looking for an edge, pick up Seth’s book. If you know another business owner
who might benefit from reading this article, forward their name and email address
to me at comments@candographics.com

Jeremy Tuber runs the only business savvy graphic design firm who helps companies build more confidence and credibility into their business identities. He is an atypical designer with a passion for marketing as well as design. Jeremy infuses solid marketing expertise into design projects that he guarantees to bring satisfaction and results. Clients often remark that he brings a terrific enthusiasm and a “can do” attitude to each project. In 1st quarter 2006, he will introduce his first book aimed at helping aspiring artists run a more profitable, enjoyable design business called, “Being a Starving Artist Sucks”.

Learn more about Jeremy and how you can gain a competitive advantage with a better brand by visiting http://www.candographics.com

It’s easy to think that because you have a name, logo and tag line, that
you have a brand. But corporate identity is just the first step of building a
brand image. The name, logo and tag line are two dimensional
elements in a three dimensional world. And to become “real”, to become
a living, breathing, brand name, companies must possess three
dimensional attributes. In other words, they must possess the same
qualities that people do — specific, consistent traits and characteristics
that customers can easily indentify, remember and relate to.

This is where most companies fall short. In an attempt to be all things to
all people, they have no identity. They try to compete on every level…
price, quality, service, selection and so on. It sounds like a good
strategy but it fails nearly every time.

Why?

Because our minds are like little mail rooms. When we get incoming
messages, we sort them and file them in their proper slots. Wal-Mart
goes into the low price mail slot for when we need to save money. Rolex
goes into the quality slot for when we win the lotto and want to enjoy the
best. Nordstrom’s goes into the service category for when we want to
really be pampered. The more specific the trait or characteristic, the
easier it is to recall.

So when companies try to appeal to everyone, it’s the equivalent of
meeting someone named “George”.

George who? George Washington? George Foreman? George Jetson?
Curious George?

If you lack specific, identifiable features, you will be sorted, discarded
and tossed in the mental mailroom trash basket, never to be recalled.

Here’s a hypothetical, but typical, example. A bunch of zealous
entrepreneurs want to form a sporting goods company. They want to
succeed on every level and win over every potential customer. So
what’s synonymous with being on top, king of the hill, a company at the
peak… what else but…

Summit Sporting Goods

So let’s say they now want a tag line. Not wanting to limit themselves,
they develop a “positioning” statment such as “We’re more than just
sporting goods”. The logo is a large “S” on a triangle. So the store opens
and a customer sees an ad that says

“Summit… We’re more than just sporting goods”

What does that say about the company? Not much!

Let’s say another bunch of enterprising types get together and decided
to place all their marbles on basketball equipment. They name their
company…

Slam Dunk!

…and their tag line is “Score Huge Savings Everyday!” Which of these
two companies are you going to remember? Arguably the first company
may have more selection and better prices… but how would you know?
At least with the second company you know what they are claiming…
basketball equipment for less.

To add to their new image, they incorporate “Hoop it up Friday” where
all shoes are half price… scoreboards show how many items were sold
that day… buzzers go off when an in-store sale is announced. Now the
name begins to take on an identity, a personality, a predictable nature…
a brand!

This brand can be further stengthened by adding a jingle, using the
corporate colors throughout the store interiors, using the name in the
product line (i.e. Slam Dunk shoelaces), etc. If done well, a customer
should be able to describe a company as well as they describe a friend.
Think Apple… clean, attractive, likes music, fun to work with, creative,
innovative, etc. It goes way beyond just the name Apple or the logo.

So when developing a company, start with a great name and then go
from there. Add personality that customers can relate to and remember.
Own a “position” in their minds, rather than avoiding one. Be what you
are instead of what you think you need to be to attract every potential
customer. Then you’ll be memorable, effective and real. And those
qualities make for a great brand.

Phil Davis is an 18 year veteran of naming and branding. His work can
be viewed at http://PureTungsten.com

Situation: Your window of advantage over your competitors closes more quickly than ever and price vs. price competition is really heating up. What can you do about it? Brand. If you think branding is just for large companies, think again - you may be overlooking the most important component of a successful business strategy. Branding is not just your logo or tagline or the “look” and “feel” of your marketing communications. Branding is the sum total of your client’s experiences and perceptions of your products, services, and employees. In addition, brand strategy influences company culture by setting the tone for employee interaction both internally and externally with suppliers and clients alike. In essence: your brand is what everyone else thinks it is - it’s what people say about your company behind your back.

A branding strategy is the genesis of all customer contact activities. At first, it should be the core of all investor and public relations, sales, customer service, and initial advertising. When the budget allows, the branding strategy can become the foundation for larger marketing communications such as multi-media advertising, direct mail, trade shows, and expanded public relations.

The task of branding may seem daunting; however there is strong evidence that branding is worth the effort. Here are some benefits of a strong brand.

1. Branding is what gives your company value and separates you from your competitors.

2. Enhanced perceived value allows for premium pricing (for example: Ralph Lauren, Perrier water) and shelters you from price competition.

3. Branding will provide protection in times of negative press.

4. A strong brand enables you to launch new products and services more quickly and cost effectively.

Your brand will happen with or without your input. Branding and managing a brand is tough work. Here are some practical tips on how to get started.

1. To succeed, you’ll need to get everyone onboard from top management on down.

2. Research the successful competitors. Study their communications and how they position themselves.

3. Learn what brand values are most important to customers. Develop a questionnaire and interview key customers and prospects.

4. Develop a strategy from the information you gathered. It must be achievable and differentiating.

5. Leverage brand strategy by integrating marketing communications. Check for consistency of all communications from every department. Sending a unified message will build brand equity.

6. Evaluate and measure performance. Make changes as needed but be patient.

Avery Manko is the owner of The Manko Company, a marketing firm in West Chester, PA. His firm develops and implements marketing programs for small and medium sized businesses. Contact him at 610-725-9844 or avery@mankocompany.com For more about The Manko Company, go to http://www.mankocompany.com