Seven Things Your Brand Is Not – And One That It Is
What Your Brand Is Not
1. Your brand is not your logo
2. Your brand is not your personal identity
3. Your brand is not what you sell
4. Your brand is not what you say it is
5. Your brand is not your fancy offices
6. Your brand is not your company culture
7. Your brand is not your employees
What Your Brand Is
Your brand is the emotional and psychological relationships you have with your customers. Your brand is what your vendors think of you, what your employees see of you, and what your customers say about you - Essentially your brand is what they say it is, not what you say it is.
Questions?
Put’em in the comments below.
Bric-A-Brac Branding
Below is the seventh article in our $150 competition sponsored by BizSugar.com. It’s submitted by Michael Bennett Cohn, who is the publisher for the online magazine Revolving Floor. Good luck to everyone who contributed an article!
Most small brick-and-mortar businesses don’t brand the inside of their establishments. I didn’t realize this until I started playing Foursquare, the shopping scorecard social media iPhone game. Foursquare awards users points for “checking in” at their favorite restaurants, bars, convenience stores, etc. Often, in recent months, when I’m taking out my phone during an idle moment waiting for my food, or a drink, or to pay, I’ve found myself thinking: “I should check in here on Foursquare!” followed quickly by “What the heck is the name of this place?”
There’s plenty of branding inside chain establishments like Olive Garden, McDonalds, 7-11, or The Cheesecake Factory. That’s because the chain, taking the long view, wants customers to stay interested in the brand, so that they’ll see each franchise as just one manifestation of the greater whole.
But once you enter an independent restaurant, bar, shop, or even grocery store, if you forgot the name of the place on the way in, then you’re probably not going to be reminded of it again until your next visit.
When I was in college, I worked at a place in Lawrence, Kansas called Joe’s Donuts. The catchy name was just a coincidence, as the original owner’s name really was Joe. The food was good and cheap, the place was open late and located near a couple of nightclubs, and Joe’s was hugely popular with the students. (A donut-loving girl once introduced herself to me on campus after overhearing me say that I worked there.) Customers regularly asked of their own volition if we sold t-shirts. We didn’t. I talked to the proprietor, Ralph (Joe’s son) about it. “Yeah, the kids ask about those, so sometimes I think maybe we should make some,” he said. “But what would they say? ‘Eat at Joe’s?’”
Ralph also kept the store closed on Saturdays, which would have surely been his best day for business. I tried to convince him to give it a shot. He shrugged. “It’s not a question of profits,” he said. “I just don’t want to work Saturdays.” The closed storefront was noted weekly by disappointed would-be customers, leading to widespread speculation as to what Ralph did with his Saturdays. “That’s when this place is closed,” was the only explanation that he offered querulous donut-buyers.
Around this time (1991) localized versions of Monopoly were a popular gift item. The Monopoly people scoped out our little college town, and determined that Joe’s Donuts was enough of a landmark to warrant a spot on the board (instead of, say, Park Place). They approached Ralph and asked him to pay for the privilege. He refused, and he continued to refuse as they kept lowering the cost. Ralph told them that he didn’t play Monopoly, and that he wasn’t interested in participating at any price. But the truth was that the Monolopy board based on Lawrence, Kansas just wasn’t complete without Joe’s Donuts. People would expect it to be there. And, indeed, it ended up on the board anyway.
At the time, Ralph saw this as a triumph of practicality over silliness. His business was successful in the physical world, and that was all that mattered. But times have changed. Nearly every local business has been reviewed on Yelp, they all show up on Google Maps, and that inevitable sales call from Foursquare is perhaps the loudest knock yet on the doors of those who don’t want to be dragged into the 21st century. (“We can prove that 100 of your customers check in with us every day. Do you want the ad they see to be from you, or your nearest competition?”)
It’s increasingly understood among online startups, even those focused on direct-response business, that they need a recognizable name, logo, and design. That’s just part of the deal. So is participating in the social media basics, such as tweeting and setting up a Facebook fan page. The social media landscape is eclipsing reality so quickly that brick-and-mortars are already part of it, whether they want to be or not.
In other words, every small business has a brand now, even the no-name bodega on the corner with no signage anywhere. Even proprietors who like to think that they can’t, or won’t, be bothered with something as abstract as shaping their customers’ long-term associations with the place are going to increasingly find that this attitude is not tenable. The no-name bodega on the corner will end up on Yelp as “No-name Bodega On Corner,” or not at all. And places that don’t bother to remind customers where they are will get fewer online mentions. It won’t be long before someone looking for, say, a toothbrush, will enter a search into their phone and then scan their surroundings through the viewfinder, looking for augmented reality signage hanging in the air. Those signs won’t be “hung” by the proprietors; they’ll be hung by the aggregators. And businesses who haven’t taken their image seriously by that point are literally going to disappear.
In New York, there’s a joke about what to tell a tourist when they ask you where to find the best pizza in the city. The answer is “Ray’s.” And there are indeed many pizza places called Ray’s throughout New York. Also, they have no connection to each other.
It’s a good joke, but it won’t be funny for very much longer.
Photo Credit: tandemracer
Random Acts of Recessionary Kindness
Plaza Cleaners in Portland, OR had this sign up in their window recently.
I’m calling this a “Random Act of Recessionary Kindness”, and it’s nice to see people working together to get through the tough times. Not only that, but what cleaner do you think the people who take them up on this offer will use once they get jobs?
Have you seen any Random Acts? Let me know about them in the comments below, or better yet send us a picture.
Photo Credits: Rebecca Gabriel (via WWeek.com)
arimoore’s photostream (front page)
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The Lost Law of Branding
Before Nike, there were sneakers. Before Coca-Cola, there were soft drinks. Before Godiva, there was chocolate. And hard to believe as it is, before Starbucks there was coffee.
In this presentation David Brier (Chief Gravity Defyer) of DBD International, LLC takes a look at branding and what it takes to make your brand stick.
World Class Brands Have One Thing In Common
David points out that every world class brand started out as a commodity. And through exact, planned, marketing became the name synonymous with that category.
He asks, “Is your brand really creating the necessary ties with your customers and potential customers to rise above an overstimulated marketplace?” And answers that question as he delves into “The Lost Law of Branding”.
Remember
Everything you are currently doing is creating your brand, whether you know it or not or intend for it to happen. Every interaction, every customer experience shapes the brand. It’s up to you to do what it takes to craft the right experience, and consistent message so that your brand becomes in your customers eyes what you believe it to be.
- Your brand is not your logo
- Your brand is not your identity
- Your brand is not what you sell
Your brand is not what you say it is – it’s what they say it is.
Well Worth a Look
If you are looking for some ideas, and inspiration to entrench your brand within your market, I highly suggest you check out David’s presentation.
Photo Credit: Ende’s photostream
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Is Your Business Rocking Like Denny’s?
Cutting edge and Denny’s are not commonly muttered in the same sentence. Unless you consider cutesy names for their heaping breakfast platters, such as "Moons Over My Hammy", as cutting edge.
But, all that may be changing as Denny’s rolls out a new strategy to attract a much different audience to their late night offerings.
Denny’s Late Night
It’s no secret the recession has hit casual dinning places like Denny’s particularly hard. So what does the 56 year old restaurant chain do to bolster slumping sales? It tries something completely different.
To bring in more late night diners, Denny’s is introducing the Allnighter program and is sponsoring alternative rock bands to come play live in the restaurant between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., positioning itself to be THE after party spot – hip, cool, and yes cutting edge.
How’s it Working?
To date more than 30 emerging bands have taken part in the sponsorship opportunity, which gets them free meals while touring in return for playing a couple gigs as part of an after show in the Denny’s restaurant.
Denny’s has also added many cheap, late night items to it’s menu to cater to the new clientele, and is offering the late night crowd a more social experience than the one they would get at a typical late night drive through.
One can only think that by effectively building on the music and the social community, these late night attractions will not only bolster sales, but go a long way in reviving the image of the brand. Maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks?
See For Yourself
This video is party of Me Talk Pretty’s series of after parties sponsored by Denny’s and Filter Magazine.
The Verdict is Still Out
Whether or not this foray into late night will be a success, you have to applaud the chain for the effort. It has the opportunity to be a win-win for all involved. It provides the chain with a much needed brand face lift, gives fledgling bands an outlet and some national exposure through people talking about the program, and becomes an alternative hangout for the younger crowd to socialize, or at least sober up before calling it a night.
What Can Small Businesses Learn From Denny’s?
The biggest lesson in all of this may be that if what you are doing isn’t working anymore, don’t be afraid to try something new, drastically new even. Denny’s has done the same thing year in and year out for 50+ years – they saw it wasn’t working right now, and looked for an alternative.
In the face of lackluster sales, and a weak economy the businesses that put themselves out there stand the best chance of reaping the rewards. If sales are down, why not try out some new ideas? If they don’t work, you’re no worse off, right?
Also, look at what you do well and then find ways to dovetail that with what people currently want. In the case of Denny’s, they know how to do late night eats, so why not combine that with a social atmosphere that includes music, to see if they can expand their market in the late night hours with young, hungry, patrons.
Not only are they providing what people want, they are interacting with them how they want as well. You can now find Denny’s on Facebook, and Twitter, and if social media is working for them you need to at least consider what it can do for you.
All of this may not have been part of Denny’s original business model, but then again they weren’t selling as many “Moons Over My Hammy” as they used to either. Drastic times may call for drastic measures, and those measures can result in a win for everybody.
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Four W’s of Branding
Of all the things in business you can make difficult, branding has to be close to the top of the list.
We all know the importance of branding, and brand management, and as such tend to over think it.
Branding really comes down to answering these four questions and then remaining consistent to your answers as implement your marketing messages.
This is the foundation of a great brand, focus on it while building yours.
Who Are You?
Seems simple on the surface, but often overlooked. Your brand will reflect who you are as a person, and as a company. What do you stand for, what is your mission, do you have core values and principals that drive your business decisions? All of those go into what makes you, you. And it’s the first step in fleshing out your brand.
What Do You Do?
What does your business do? This one is pretty straight forward, it’s essentially your elevator speech, or how you would sum up your business if given 30 seconds to talk about it. Focus on your core competencies when answering “what do you do”; because while we may think we’re all things to everybody, in reality there are specialties within our businesses that should be highlighted.
Why Does it Matter?
This is a tough one for many. Exactly why does what you do matter? How does your business touch people, interact with the customer, in such a way that it is relevant? Until you know why you matter, and to whom you matter, you can’t begin to develop the proper messages that will act as the foundation of your brand.
What Makes You Different?
If you’re exactly the same as the next guy it’s going to be hard to develop a meaningful brand. The good news is hardly anyone is exactly the same as the next guy. You have strengths, beliefs, ideas, and business models that make you different. Your answers to the other three questions should help you realize your differences, and what makes you unique. Focus on your competitive advantage, and when it comes to building a brand remember to celebrate your differences.
In a Nutshell
That’s really all there is to developing the messages that will build your brand. Forget logos, fonts, colors, or any other brand building tool until you answer the questions above. Those are brand strentheners, not brand builders, knowing the four W’s is the foundation from which to build on.
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5 Secrets of the World’s Best Marketing Machine
Very few brands can equal Apple in success and recognition.
The folks at Apple have reshaped what we’ve come to expect in portable electronics, their functionality, and most definitely their style.
So what were the secrets to Apple’s marketing and branding success?
Don’t Sell Products
Products don’t sell – people do. Focus on what people do with your product, not what the product does.
Never be the First to Market
Make something that is already good, greater.
Empower Early Adopters
Help your customers help you.
Make Your Message Memorable
Boil the story down to its “syrupy goodness”.
Go One Step Further
Surprise and delight your customers
For more detail on Apple’s five secrets to building the worlds best marketing machine, take a few minutes to check out the following:
Tip: For best viewing use full screen mode
Marketing Apple – 5 Secrets of the World’s Best Marketing Machine – Get more Business Plans
Photo Credit: jonrawlinson
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Your Brand is Not…
What is your brand? Let’s start with what it is not:
- Your brand is not your logo
- Your brand is not your identity
- Your brand is not what you sell
- Your brand is not what you say it is
Are you reading the above and thinking “What the heck, I thought my brand was ALL of those?” You wouldn’t be alone in that line of thinking. Many businesses start building their brand, defining it, and measuring the success of it around those four concepts above.
If you don’t characterize your brand around your logo, or differentiate it based on what you sell, what exactly goes into brand building , and more importantly where do you start?
Luckily we have this extensive visual presentation by Marty Neumeier, author of The Brand Gap
And please don’t be too intimidated by the 165 slides, it really is a visual presentation, you’ll be through them in no time.
Building Your Brand By Branding Yourself
No doubt about it, brand and brand awareness is huge! For the most part branding is why we choose Coke over Pepsi, or like Nike instead of Reebok. Branding has us consumers believing there is a big difference between Ford and Chevy, or that Miller is better than Budweiser. For large companies the equity in their brand is priceless, and sometimes the sole differentiator between products. But for a small business entrepreneur the brand dynamic is much different.
Want to focus your efforts on the one thing that will blow your business wide open?
It’s not the brand of your products, or services you should concentrate on, it’s the brand of YOU that will take your business to the next level.
That’s right, it doesn’t matter what you do, sell, market, or peddle, the way to make it HUGE is by branding yourself!
Small business entrepreneurs are in a unique situation to leverage their brand more than GE, Coke, HP, Dell, or any of the other big name businesses in the United States. Do you know why? Small businesses by their very nature are able to connect and interact with their customer base on a much more intimate level than Budweiser ever can dream of.
Think about it. When you are doing business, like it or not, for the most part your customers are buying YOU. That’s right, when you don’t make the sale, don’t close a consulting contract, or somebody walks out of your store empty handed it’s not the products or services they are turning their back to, it’s you. I know that hurts to hear at first, but by building your own brand you can change that.
So how do we go about building our personal brands?
1. Be Transparent and Be Yourself
A large component of brand building, is building a trust in your product or service. Branding yourself is no different. People build trust over time when they feel like they know someone, and are not being fed a line of BS from them. Be yourself, never try to emulate or become a charachture of what you think people want to see. Also, be transparent. Let your customers know you, know what you stand for, let them have a peak behind the curtain at the Wizard of Oz once in a while. The more they identify with the real you, the more likely they are to do business with you, and the stronger your personal brand becomes.
2. Become an Expert in Your Field
Another way to say this is…know your stuff! This doesn’t mean you need to know everything there is to know about widgets in order to sell them. But it does mean that you know enough to become a trusted authority on widgets in your region. How does this help build your brand? You may not be the national expert on widgets, but when your customers feel they know and trust you personally (thanks to #1 above) they are more likely to be a customer of yours even if you’re not the world renowned expert on widgets…just know enough to answer their questions and you most likely have their business.
3. Never Fake It
Nothing will erode your brand, and cost you more customers, than when you are faking it. What do I mean by faking it? If you are not 100% into what you are doing, the message you are sending, or the product you are endorsing your customers will know it immediately and shun you like the plague. When people can see you love what you are doing, and are totally into your work, it becomes contagious. People love dealing with people who love what they do, and I am sure there is some law of attraction that proves this. Don’t love what you are doing? Stop doing it, and do something you do love.
4. Network, network, network
Leverage any and all networks available to you in order to build your brand, demonstrate your expertise, and let people get to know you (#1-3 above). This could be brick and mortar business networks, online social media outlets, or any other medium where you can get in front of people who can help build your business and your brand. How many of you get a friend request from somebody on Facebook you don’t know, yet accept their request anyway because when you check them out they have a million friends? Most people do that because we think “hey all these other people are following them, I should too”. Same thing will happen with your business network and your personal brand. Because everyone is following you more people will want to follow you, thus strengthening and reinforcing your brand. Another law of attraction in action.
5. Do the Little Things
I can’t stress enough how important it is to do the little things. The little things aren’t really little! When you do them consistently, they become one big thing and that in an of itself can differentiate you from your competition which is what branding is all about. When building your personal brand you want to stick out. Make that email, phone call, or follow up just a little different, a little better. Stand out just a little more than your competition and guess who is going to get the business? I say “little better” on purpose, it doesn’t take something drastic to get the attention of your customer, the little things are the big things!
If you apply the five concepts above you will see your personal brand start to emerge, and the brand equity you will be creating is priceless. Nothing will blow your business wide open more than being a brand unto yourself. Coddle and foster your brand with the same care and attention you devoted to starting up your business and it will quickly become your number one asset.
What have you done to brand yourself?
Make or Break Business Tag Lines
“Like a Rock”
“Just Do It”
“Everywhere You Want to Be”
“What Can Brown Do For You?”
“We Bring Good Things to Life”
“The King Of Beers”
The importance of a great tag line in capturing the minds of your target market cannot be underestimated. Today’s consumer is sifting through thousands of pieces of information daily trying to find products and services that fit their needs. Your business may provide the highest quality product, have the best price, or give the finest service, but if you if you are blending in with your competition you’re lowering your chances of obtaining new customers, and forgoing an opportunity to get repeat business.
Coming up with a great tag line, or slogan for your business can be that missing ingredient to becoming a top of the mind, provider of choice, within your target market. If you come up with a tag line as sticky as “Have a Coke and a Smile”, “Taste Great, Less Filling”, or “Takes a Licking, Keeps on Ticking” you could see your business grow exponentially for a long time to come. (The above tag lines are so strong I am not even going to reference the companies who developed them). Below are some tips to help you write that tag line to take your business to the next level.
1. Know your target market well enough to understand what words and phrases will resonate with them.
2. Brainstorm key words that relate to your product, and then dig deeper to find synonyms to those words. The deeper you dig the more likely your tag line is to stand out in a crowd.
3. Don’t be afraid to be creative, and push the envelope a little bit. Your goal is to stand out, and be noticed by your tag line.
4. Think short and sweet. Pretend you are paying $1000 per word for your tag line, the shorter the better. Worried about being to short and not descriptive enough? Hewlett Packard’s tag line – “Invent”.
5. Look at what’s working in today’s advertising, and around the internet. See a great tag line that really speaks to you? Ask yourself why you remember that line, was it short and sweet, did it rhyme, what elements did it have that made you remember it. Here is a list of great internet tag lines to get you started.
6. Don’t rush it. Continue to work on your tag line until you feel you have it down perfect. Try testing it out with friends, colleagues, or anybody in your business network prior to going live with it.
Does your business have a tag line? Let’s hear it…
