Do You Have Your Branding Work Done?
No matter what the person on the other end of the line that wants Orbit to design a business card or a complete marketing system, the first question we ask is; “Do you have your branding work done?” What we’re asking is; Have you taken the time to examine the value of your company and how it will work in the marketplace? Without understanding your own brand, distilling a message, and figuring out a strategy, how can you develop a marketing piece that effectively communicates your message to prospects and customers?
Branding happens automatically. You don’t have to lift a finger. Branding exists in the minds of your customers and prospects. Branding is what people say about your company when you are out of the room.
You may think that if you work hard to deliver quality products and top of the line customer service, then branding will take care of itself. This is called “passive” branding and can be very dangerous. A good reputation is hundred times harder to maintain without proactive branding. If you want to compete in today’s competitive market, you better be prepared to plant your flag and stand for something. If people don’t understand what you are about — because you didn’t define it and tell them — then they are left to draw their own conclusions. They might be disappointed because you didn’t live up to their expectations, which were totally off base.
Let’s take an example: Imagine that one day a customer went into McDonalds and upon being served a Happy Meal promptly threw a fit because it wasn’t gourmet quality and served on fine china. This rarely happens because McDonald’s has done their branding work. They have spent millions of dollars to define what they do the best (convenient fast food for families) and have told anyone and everyone that exact message over a thousand times. When I hear that someone has a good reputation in their industry, I know that they did their branding work first.
If you have done your branding work, here are some things that you should know:
- Branding is the heart of your marketing system and can grow into a significant equity piece
- Your branding promise (it’s less than seven words)
- Everyone in your company – from stockroom to boardroom – knows your branding promise too
- The ideal crowds your company aims to work with
- Your profit centers
- Your company’s core values, relevant benefits, personality and how they relate to your branding promise
- What your company is best at
- How your company is going “overboard” to underscore your branding
- Your company’s approved branding icons
- What your apathy killer is
- What your sales kicker is
- Where to spend your marketing budget to get the most bang
Brand well and prosper!
Andy Cleary