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September 2004 Issue
Fill in the blank
by Christy Couch Lee
Let’s take a little quiz. See if you can fill in the blanks:
“Built ___ Tough.” “Nothing runs like a ___.” “___, the other white meat.”
Ford. Deere. Pork. Easy, isn’t it.
But this recognition didn’t happen by accident.
These organizations have devoted time and energy to building their brand – to developing their customers’ image of their company.
And the payoff for their investment can be seen in sales and customer loyalty – sometimes to the “cult” level.
Buiding a brand shouldn’t be limited to large corporations with seemingly endless budgets. No matter the size of your operation or the money you have in your advertising allottment, building a brand can have positive, long-term effects on your bottom line.
Ross Harvey with AdFarm in
He says that in today’s competitive markets, price isn’t much of a selling point. But customer experience and perceived value can set you apart from your competition.
When customers think of your business or operation as being above the rest, you’re on your way to building a quality brand. And whether you actively promote your brand or do nothing, you are affecting what your customers perceive of your business – good or bad.
But what exactly is a brand?
It’s not strictly based on product and facts, although they’re key factors.
A quality brand is also built on customer perceptions. If customers believe your product is the best, they’ll come back time and again.
Think about your operation for a moment. How do you believe your customers perceive your brand?
1. A high relevance to the world of your customer. You know what makes your customers tick.
2. Consistency of delivery of message. You constantly promote what your operation stands for, and your customers get that message.
3. Distinctiveness that really shines through. Your customers know what sets you apart from the rest.
4. Simplicity of what you stand for. You have planned what your operation represents, and every employee knows it well enough to recite it.
5. Experience allows for a high level of customer engagement. Your customers believe in your product and “live” your product. Not many organizations reach this level. Think about Harley Davidson, whose customers tattoo the logo onto their bodies. Now that’s customer engagement.
6. Sustained presence in the market. Your operation’s name is in front of your customers all year long, not just from season to season.
7. Continual evolution. As your customer’s needs have evolved, so has your product and the message you send to your customers.
Do you think you might have some work to do?
Building your brand isn’t something that can be done overnight. It can often take years. But, you have to start somewhere, and it’s never too late.
First, look inside. What is your history? Your values? What do you stand for?
Then, look to your customers. What matters most to them? What is your current image with them?
The next step,
Once you’ve discovered the essence of your brand, you must make decisions based on that image. Before virtually every decision you make, whether it is an advertisement or communication with your customers, you should consider your brand. Ask yourself these questions:
“What will this do to our brand? Is this dangerous to our brand?”
Make your brand a living part of your decision process,
Unfortunately, there are no magic wands that cause your business’s brand to appear in your customers’ minds.
But if you devote the time and energy to developing your brand, the next time your customers take the little quiz, your name could fill the blank.
