I'm too small to consider branding...

That's an opinion I've heard a lot, both from start-ups and companies hoping to reach a new level of growth.

But in truth, just the opposite is true.

Establishing a brand is a discipline of focusing and crystallizing your mission, message and markets.

Once you've developed a differentiating brand, you have established a consistent image and message so fewer impressions are required to penetrate the collective conscience of your precisely-targeted markets.

And if you've concentrated on differentiating your business/product/service from competitors, you've made a statement of significance that will be appreciated, and perhaps virally passed on by customers and prospects alike.

With a unique and significant brand, your customers will be better able to refer you to others because they will know why you are different and better than competitors. Your name will be top-of-mind to those you've targeted.

So why do so many believe only big companies can profit from branding? Because large companies have big budgets to promote the brand. But if the brand is targeted and consistent, a small company can make their markets aware of the brand with no additional promotional efforts than they now apply.

It's been said that competitors can duplicate a product, but never a brand. That's food for thought.

Martin Jelsema

Signature Strategies

Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding.

www.signaturestrategies.biz

Naming is a tricky business.

Most people, particularly entrepreneurs, are far from objective about the process.

And they tend toward extremes: either opting for a descriptive, non-differentiating name or an out-of-the-box, confusing one.

There needs to be a balance.

First, you don't want a name that defines your product/service category. Prospects will apply it to your competition as well as your offering and won't differentiate you from them.

Second, you don't want to confuse or mislead a prospect. As I've said more than once in these blogs, "a confused prospect isn't a buyer."

So the name needs a middle grounding. The name needs to create a tension between relevant and unique.

Be as creative as you want during the generation stage, and as objective as possible during the selection process.

Enlist the opinions of those you respect for their marketing savvy, but remember that even folks will tend to be conservative when their opinions are solicited. They naturally don't want to feel responsible if your risky name doesn't resonate with target market participants.

As I stated in the beginning, naming is a tricky business. But it can be the absolutely most valuable asset you and your company will create.

Good luck

Martin Jelsema

Signature Strategies

Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding

www.signaturestragies.biz

Spirit of Service?

That's Qwest's slogan these days.

Their service for the past eight or more years, particularly as expressed by customer "service" people, has been terrible. I've personally experienced excessive hold times, inflexible policies, rude reps and unresolved problems.

So do I believe Qwest's Spirit of Service? No I don't. In fact it is a reason to scoff at Qwest.

It takes more than a new slogan and a memo to all employees to make a major change, and even then it might not be enough.

So the question is, can Qwest regain credibility on the strength of this campaign?

I don't think so.

Their solution requires a major merger and a radical separation from their current brand associations, including - no, especially - the name.

And most importantly, they'll have to change their way of doing business. They should go back and resurrect the Spirit of Mountain Bell.

That's when I'll consider returning to land line service.

Martin Jelsema

Signature Strategies

Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding.

www.signaturestrategies.biz

Pink Panther changing stripes?

Last night a commercial featuring the Pink Panther theme caught my attention, so I stopped my reading to see if Owens Corning was having a "summer special" on insulation. We're moving into an older home this month that will need to have additional insulation added.

But the commercial featuring the Panther was for Sweet-N-Low!

Now I know the Sweet-N-Low package is pink. I also know animals attract attention, as do cartoons. So who better to be a spokesperson for them than the Pink Panther? I'd say almost anyone or anything.

Now whenever I see a Sweet-N-Low commercial, I'll think of insulation! And so will millions of other viewers. That can't be too good for Sweet-N-Low.

This demonstrates a twist on the positioning axiom that the first product in a category will be first in the collective mind of the market.

My observation: first association will be the only association remembered. Once an association has been established - Panther and insulation - there is no room for a second one.

Sorry Sweet-N-Low, even a Pink Panther can't change its stripes, or its history.