To answer the question of
"Why Brand?", first one must understand "What is branding?". Some see branding as a luxury reserved for the big guys with fat budgets, or equate it with the
downfall of the dotcoms who spent all their efforts on "branding." They couldn't be more wrong. Branding is the foundation for all successful marketing. It
is not simply an advertising gimmick, nor a fad. A brand is the combined set of impressions and expectations that a customer has as a result of the interactions with the
company, its products and services over time. Everything you say and do establishes your brand. If you are not aware of your brand and manage it effectively, your customers and
competitors will define it for you. This means that you need to take a proactive stance on developing your brand so that your customers will know why they should chose your
company, it's products and services over a competitor. By understanding your unique brand, you can influence the impressions that the market receives in all media -- your
service performance, even the physical environment of your offices as well as any communications that you develop and set forth. These impressions must be clear, concise and
consistently sustained over time. When we think of brands, we generally think of logos that represent brands. The familiar Coca Cola bottle and the red and white
lettering are very distinctive. Yet the Coke brand is more than just the logo. It represents the entire experience. Brands are the promise that the company makes to its customers, a
promise for consistency in everything they do. Brand As Promise
Consumers make choices based on familiarity. They will buy a product that they are sure will deliver what they expect. Familiarity
with and preference for a product stems from having used it previously and being satisfied, or from an impression about the product or service gained from trusted outside sources,
such as friends or publications. Good branding strategy is the basis to create the desired impression with consumers. Good branding acts like the friend who refers you to the
company or product. With a well managed brand, the trust that comes from consistently delivered experiences can feel much the same way as advice from a trusted friend.
You believe that the experience will be what is promised, today and in the future. What happens when the promise and impression of a brand do not match? A problem arises
and there is a Brand Gap -- a variance between the brand promise that you intend and that which you convey and deliver.
What is a Brand Gap? In plain English,
it's the difference between what you mean to say and do and what actually occurs and registers in the mind of the consumer. While you may perceive your product as a high-end product
providing high-end services, your consumers may be getting a completely different message in the communications they receive and the service they experience. Since a brand is a
promise, inconsistent implementation of the brand represents a broken promise to the customer. Unsure of what they will get, consumers will instead turn to a competitor that they know
and trust. Probably one of the biggest mistakes we see is the belief that marketing can make the product or service into something it is not, and attract the
desired customers. You cannot attract and retain a customer if you do not deliver what that customer is expecting. No amount of marketing or branding can change that universal
truth. Branding is not smoke and mirrors, creating a silk purse out of a sow's ear. It is the truthful communication of what is unique about the experience with that comapny,
product or service and speaks to the customers who value that experience. That is how the brand is a promise. To guard against Brand Gap, you must have a clear understanding of
your strengths and who your customers truly are in order to meet their expectations. Either you need to wise up to who your customers are based on the services and experience
that you can provide and focus on maintaining that customer, or you must change your offering to suit the kind of customer that you desire to attract. The Three C's of Branding
So what are hallmarks for a good brand? Good brands all possess three key characteristics -- they are clear, concise and
delivered consistently over time. Clear:
It is easy to distinguish what the brand represents from every communication received. Volvo stands for safety, Fed-Ex stands for guaranteed overnight delivery, and the Ritz-Carlton stands for luxury. These companies deliver a key message easily recognizable. While there may be sub- messages in addition to the overall brand message, each contact supports and repeats the overall brand
Concise:
The most important element for success is your willingness to focus on your core business competency, that which you do best. Most companies fail when they try to be all things to all people. Focus on what you deliver exceptionally well, and communicate that single message succinctly.
Consistent:
For a brand to be effective, the messages surrounding it must be consistently delivered over time. Conflicting messages or changing your story to suit the mood of the moment only confuses your customers. Repeated delivery of the same message will reinforce the brand in the minds of your customers, making it easier to recall and creating a perceived trust in your brand.
|
