We hear the terms branding and brand thrown around all the time in reference to a logo or visual representation, however a brand is the total image or personality of your business. It is built from a collection of perceptions as a result of exposure to EVERY aspect of your communication with the world. Keep in mind, consumers will determine your brand based on how it makes them feel and their perception is everything.

Here is a sample list of things to keep in mind when evaluating your brand:

- Customer Experience
- Packaging
- Customer Service
- Advertising messages
- Communication via social media
- Pricing
- All aspects of design (colors, fonts, layouts)
- Your logo
- Your name
- Your employees
- Your reputation
- Your physical location / environment

As marketers it is our job to find and focus on the attributes that make each brand different. Every successful company has a unique selling proposition, but it is not enough to simply say that you have one. Every piece of marketing and communication should answer the HOW question. We are different because…

image courtesy Halton Region Small Business Centre

This, of course, is not mis-calulated, foolish risk-taking. Instead, it involves careful discernment and preparation. Even more so, it requires courage to try, go against the norm and say “why not?” when others have stopped at “why?”

Steve Jobs was not satisfied with the status quo and his life will continue to be an inspiration.

In business and marketing don’t settle for good. Push boundaries even if they are uncomfortable. Try something new. Do something great.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that customer experience-based campaigns are not short-term focused sales messages. This especially holds true for those in the realm of selling a product. You can talk all day about why your product is superior or why a consumer should purchase your product, but that will only get you so far. Instead, completely switch gears and ask the question “how can I SHOW my potential customers why my product is superior through a fun, appealing experience?” P.S. We’re talking online AND offline experiences. This puts your consumer and their wants/needs first. That type of attitude will result in a far better success rate. Allow your potential customers to come to their own conclusions about your product through positive emotions. Truth is, the modern consumer is not going to listen to an advertiser telling them what to think anyway!

Here are some examples of customer experience/interactive initiatives that I love:

Burts Bees invites their visitors to “discover their naturally beautiful shade.”

Google gives tourists a great photo-op with this fun, interactive outdoor billboard.

LOFT gives their customers a chance to interact with stylists to perfect their fall wardrobe.

Make customer experience part of your marketing mix!

image courtesy of sylvainpaillard.com

I found this awesome quote from Dustin Curtis on Stage Two. He says,

Customer experience is the new brand.

I’m not referring to a brand as a logo and a typeface. I’m referring to the new kind of brand, the one is formed by the entire experience of a customer’s interaction. That experience gets branded into his or her memory and leaks into the buzz of modern culture. If you can’t make a good customer experience from start to finish, you’ve failed to generate brand value that will attract customers to come back for repeat business and tell their friends to come back, too. That’s how good customer experience directly affects the bottom line.

I wanted to share this quote, because as advertisers and marketers sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the frills – the pretty ad, the funny campaign, the cool website, the unique direct mail piece, the awesome Facebook landing page, etc.- but we lose sight of what TRULY builds a brand. It boils down to the customer experience. Visual elements do play a role, especially when it comes to initially catching attention and creating an emotional connection in the minds of consumers. However, if that is not followed by a rock-solid customer experience, your well-designed pieces and clever campaigns will be wasted.

In this digital age that we live and breathe everyday, customers now have a voice unlike ever before. Immediately, their networks are informed about bad customer experiences. We’ve all heard the phrase “Word of Mouth is now World of Mouth” – and it’s true!

If you are not getting the desired results from your advertising or your social media efforts, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and evaluate the customer experience. What kind of customer service are you providing? Does the user-experience match what you are promoting (online and off)? Do you go above and beyond when pleasing your customer? If you don’t know the answers to these questions – ASK! Customers will tell you what they want if you are willing to listen.

image courtesy of Texas Power PR

This may seem like an obvious statement, however with the insurgence of self-proclaimed social media experts, it is alarming to see the amount of people influenced based solely on the “expert’s” technical know-how. The consultant or company throws out some industry-lingo and instantly calls themselves an expert. We are seeing this happen more and more. Technical know-how, of course, is part of the job. I wouldn’t trust a social media person that couldn’t work a computer more than I would trust a chef that couldn’t work an oven. However, when it comes to your social media efforts your brand identity and image is on the line. This requires someone that understands your goals and understands HOW these goals are met in the social media environment. This goes way beyond knowing how to properly use FBML or install WordPress!

The determinant factor of the success of a social media strategy lies not just in the technical execution, but in the ideas and content. Without the content you might as well throw in the towel.  In fact, beginning a social media journey without the proper strategy or guidance can be extremely detrimental to your brand. Social media involves a branding and communication initiative first and foremost, not necessarily a technical one.

Here are some questions to ask  if you find yourself in need of an expert:

1. Do they have marketing and communication experience? Have they been successful in that realm?

2. Can they provide measurable success on social media in the past? Can they provide case studies?

3. Do they themselves “walk the walk”?

4. Are their plans integrated with other marketing efforts?

5. Do they understand your business, goals and brand?

What other questions would you ask a self-proclaimed social media expert?

Here is Mr. Kearny’s letter:

Your editorial (July 21) against the “clever” idea of opening up highway emergency signs to advertising was too tepid and cautious. The genius of that idea is how many other openings for easy state funding it opens up.

Think of fire engines — those lights, those sirens, those long sides cluttered with ladders instead of ads. And why should they make that god-awful screech when they could be playing a Pepsi jingle instead?

And the roadways themselves. Those endless 10-foot-wide ribbons of boring asphalt and concrete could be jazzed up with the genius of Madison Avenue.

Or how about a two-track 911: “If you would like to expedite service, please press 1 and have your credit card handy. Otherwise, stay on the line and one of our dispatchers will be with you shortly”?

Our highways are befouled by too many billboards. Instead of adding more, we should tax them by the square foot, using the money to remove obsolete and unprofitable signs, to beautify the roads and to promote the tourist industry. Instead of privatizing yet another public asset, we should charge private industry when it encroaches on the commons — our beautiful Penn’s Woods.

To this I responded with the following:

I love the idea of the jingle playing when the fire engine is coming down the street! But Pepsi? Why not make a local tie in with the Hershey “Sweetest Place on Earth” jingle. That way we’ll be reminded how great this area is during times of tragedy.

Lastly, I think you forgot the annoying cross-walk sound. Instead of “beep beep” it could be “Metro bank gives you dog treats” or “Capital Blue Cross-we care about your health, so cross cautiously”. You sir, are a genius!

Think "outside" the box.

Mr. Kearney,

Unlike a lot of people are able to do in this day and age, you THINK outside of the box. Without knowing it (or maybe you do), your demonstration of marketing thought processes should be rewarded (no matter how tongue-in-cheek). Too many businesses these days care more about painting inside the lines and copying their competition, that truly imaginative advertising is few and far between. I commend your ability to brain storm and I hope you are involved with the advertising industry.

Business owners take note, be creative, don’t just “run an ad” — turn some heads!  I bet a fire-truck blasting “ba-da-da-da-da, I’m loving it” would get a second look.

image courtesy of Hugh MacLeod

It seems like everyday we’re introduced to at least a half dozen new “Social media experts” who will gladly assist your business with Twitter, Facebook, Blogging and whatever else is popular that day. With unemployment so high right now, a lot of would-be entrepreneurs are diving into social media, simply thinking that just by knowing how to use the tools, they’re capable of overseeing a brand’s image online.

This new sentiment is scary to say the least.

What a lot of businesses fail to understand is the true power of social media and where it is going. Yes kids, social media is the future, and I’ve got news for you, the future has arrived.

There are a few key questions to ask yourself when hiring a self-proclaimed “Social media expert.”

1. Would I hire this person to create and build my brand?

2. Would I put this person in charge of my customer service ?

3. Would I put this person in charge of my advertising campaign?

If you cannot give a solid yes nod to any of these questions, then you might want to think twice.  Social media is about interaction with your customers, future customers, partners and associates. It is about building trust and solid relationships. Social Media is about communication on the most fundamental levels.  These people will all form an opinion about you and your business based upon that social media experience.  Is this something you really want to put in the hands of someone who just knows how to post some pictures, play Farmville and re-tweet a motivational quote?

No matter what you hear, Social Media is marketing, customer service and relationship building all wrapped up in one. When someone walks in for a meeting about building your new blog or managing your tweets, remember, they are the face of your business on the fastest growing form of communication ever. Proceed with caution.

: “Why Search May Not Click for Retailers

” According to the article, retailers are inclined to throw lots of money into search for this upcoming holiday season, but the truth is, the search trends are showing this may not be such a great idea.

Less than 10% of online retailers’ web traffic, on average, comes from search engines, according to an analysis by Nielsen Co.’s Online division.Nielsen found the majority of retailers’ web traffic (61%, on average) comes from people going directly to a retail site — consumers typing, say, Amazon.com into a browser address bar.

The article also claims that a bulk of the search traffic is attributed to “navigational searches” i.e. typing the name of the brand in the search bar as opposed to a product category.

So what does this all mean?

First of all, I do not think search engine optimization should be ignored. On the contrary, it is of extreme importance.

However, search is unlikely to be effective without a solid brand. This research and article is a prime example of how past customer experiences and branding are of utmost importance.  As a retailer, if your brand is not solid and your past customer experiences are lacking, your success in outward marketing efforts in general (not just search) will be wasted.

This holiday season, what can retailers (and other businesses that hinge upon customer experiences) do to ensure your brand stays ahead? Check out the following helpful links on branding and customer experience to get started.

• Attention Consumer-Based Businesses: Your Brand Represents 50%-80% of Your Value!
• Better Communication = Satisfied Customers
• Once your Advertising Has Done it’s Job, Positive Customer Experience Must Follow Through
• Sniffing for Market Share
• The Power of Words

Feel free to post other helpful blogs and articles!

Now more than ever, companies are being extremely careful and cautious when it comes to spending money. It seems that advertising budgets are being cut left and right. Instead of thinking about cutting your budget, perhaps it is time to reevaluate your spending to make sure the best possible choices are being used. A few tweaks and changes could prove to be more effective, yielding you a much better result for the same amount of money! Who wouldn’t want that, right?

Here are some basic tips for making the best media choices:

When deciding on the right mediums for your business, take your target audience into consideration.

Many of my posts preach about carving out your niche and deciding on your target audience. This is because having a grasp on this information can save you a truckload of money and instantly make your advertising more effective. For example, if your ideal customer is female between the ages of 35-54, you may want to look into certain lifestyle magazines or radio stations that are programmed to attract this listener. The point is, do not purchase your media with the sole intent of reaching the most people. You will end up paying way too much money to reach an audience that may not be the best.

Targeting also allows you to use advertising consistently. Back to my previous example, TV spots in the evening news may be too expensive to purchase consistently. You may have reached more people, but you were not able to achieve the amount of repetition necessary to be effective. Instead, looking to certain cable channels that appeal to your demographic will allow you to spend less and hit this targeted audience more frequently.

Become familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of each advertising vehicle. Click here for a list of some of these advantages and disadvantages.

Determine your advertising goals.

Are you suffering from a wrong branding perception? Then it would not benefit you to run a one week radio schedule. Are you holding a blow-out fall celebration sale? Then a heavy campaign during the week leading up to the campaign would be appropriate and beneficial. Weigh your goals against what each medium does well.

Weigh the costs

Cost to your budget is usually the main concern when buying traditional media. How much are you willing to spend for a customer? Based on the cost of the advertising and the amount of people in your target audience that you will be reaching, is it worth it? What do you need to break even? Are the results you desire a reasonable expectation?

Hopefully, using these tips as part of your overall marketing plan will help alleviate some of the stress of traditional media buying. Have other tips? I would love to hear them!