Posts Tagged ‘Brand’

Just as in the world of Real Estate it is all about “location, location, location”; in the world of marketing it is all about “consistency, consistency, consistency”.

In conjunction with a sound brand strategy, you need a clear and concise message that resonates with your customers. These messages need to be integrated across your brand and into every customer touch point.  Now, you don’t need to use the same words over and over. However, each communication needs to reinforce the key messages that have been developed to support the brand.  It is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts – when the brand is consistently conveyed across multiple touch points, the customer is left with a clear understanding of what the company, product, service, or solution is and how it solves their problem. Simply put, they know what your brand is about.

Unfortunately, as marketers we often get bored with the messages we’ve developed.  We’ve spent hours fine-tuning them and testing them.  Finally, our campaigns launch and the messages are out there, but by that time they feel old and stale to us.  There is a difference between a “fresh” message (with unique language, a clever play on words, a connection to a current event) and a “different” message (not aligned with strategy, not related to existing messages, different for the sake of being different).  Research shows that it takes anywhere from five to nine impressions for an individual to actually internalize a marketing message.  That means they need to see it over and over again.  Not the same words, but the same idea supported by the same brand.

For example, an article in a trade publication mentions the company and their new product; the customer sees an online banner ad, they click on it, and get to a landing page with a compelling offer; they do a Google search to see what else comes up and there is a link to your latest white paper; at an industry tradeshow the company has a booth and is hosting a panel discussion…and the story continues.  With consistent use of key messages across multiple touch-points your customers comes away with the sense that your company is worth their consideration.

Now you have a place to start engaging and driving purchase decisions.  This model holds true for consumer and business marketing.  People are people, whether they are buying high-end mission-critical software or a new plasma HDTV for their living room.  They have a problem.  Through your consistent messages, you have convinced them to consider your product or service as they evaluate their options.  You still have to convince them that your product or solution is really the only one that really addresses all their needs – from technical specifications to user support, maintenance and financing (again, these apply to consumer and business purchases.)

Again, consistency is key.  Your customers need to see and feel that your company is honest and trustworthy.  If there is a disconnect between what you say and what they experience, you will lose the sale, and worse, probably the customer.  So, while consistency in messaging is important…consistency in execution is critical, too.  Both pieces of this puzzle need to be addressed in order for the whole thing to work.  If you only focus on the messaging, then your experience will fall flat.  If you don’t explain your differences and benefits, then you won’t get the chance to display your stellar experience.  No matter how you look at it, consistency is the key to growing you brand and your business

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Tagged as: active garage, Brand, brand strategy, Branding, Communication, Consistency, customer, engagement, financing, laura lowell, location, Maintenance, purchases, technical specifications, Trust

All businesses need to develop an “identity” in order to be strategic players in the marketplace. That identity (aka logo) is key in assisting the consumer in recognizing the brand in the marketplace. Businesses such as Nike, AT&T and FedEx have spent much effort researching and developing their successful identities.

What makes a strong corporate identity? This is somewhat subjective but here are a few examples of logos that have strong identities in the marketplace.

AT&T is recognized globally as a leader in the communications industry. Recently, AT&T modified their logo from using capital letters to lowercase letters. This change can be perceived as one that was made in order to convey themselves as a more consumer friendly and approachable business. AT&T also modified the globe component of their logo from a 2 dimensional globe to a 3 dimensional one. This change can be interpreted as emphasizing the expanding depth of services as well as its global presence. In this case, the company believed it was important to highlight these attributes in a market that is ever changing and constantly growing.

FedEx, like AT&T, is a leader in its industry and have a globally recognized logo. Their logo is simple with just the letters juxtaposed in a way that creates a negative space in the shape of an arrow in between the e and the x. This arrow in the FedEx logo has been used as a form of subliminal advertising of the brand, symbolizing forward movement and thinking and stability. If you’ve never noticed it before you surely won’t miss it now!

The importance of identity does not apply just to large global corporations but to small, local and regional companies as well. For example, MicroJenisys, Inc., a web development company in business since the mid 1990s that provides solutions for clients as diverse as Verizon Federal to the City Theatre of Miami, is one of those companies. They assist their clients in creating an online identity in order to be competitive and successful in this competitive landscape. MicroJenisys followed their own advice and redesigned their own identity in 2006 after carving a healthy niche for themselves in the market place. This identity redevelopment not only allowed them to stay current in the marketplace but allowed them to reintroduce themselves to their customers as a company aware of the ever changing business world and the need for businesses to change along with it. Their new logo brands them as a concise, forward thinking team. The clever play on the letters m and j emphasizes creative fluidity which is necessary in building a successful brand identity.

When creating a logo it is also important to identify who you are targeting in the marketplace. AT&T is not targeting the same consumers as FedEx. FedEx is not targeting the same consumers as MicroJenisys. Their logos help them in creating their identities in the marketplace. Get the most out of your identity by creating a clear target audience.

This will help you separate your company from your competition and avoid an identity crisis!

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Much of the supporting information was provided by Stacy Driscoll. Please click here to find out more about her work.

Tagged as: active garage, AT&T, Brand, Branding, communications, Fedex, global, globalization, http://activegarage.com, Identity, Logo, MicroJenisys, rebranding, Robert Driscoll