A friend of mine recently commented that reunions are like funerals with everyone gathering to mark the passing of youth, not knowing what to say or do. This past weekend I headed to my high school class 37th reunion wondering if his prediction would come true. Would I recognize anyone? Would anyone recognize me? What topics will be discussed - old times or new? Perhaps both.
The reunion was a blast from the past - and it was terrific. Yes, we talked about old times. Yes, we did the "where in the world is......." game. The very first person I ran into was a friend who had traveled with me to London the summer between 8th grade and freshman year of high school to see another friend of ours. That was an amazing trip - four 14 year-olds let loose in London for a couple of weeks! It would never happen today.
We remembered those who have passed away and talked about those who have been put away. Both sad situations. We laughed about extra pounds and lots of gray hair - or no hair at all! The yearbooks were brought out and we groaned at mini-skits, plaid pants, go-go boots and long hair parted in the middle.
37 years disappeared in a heartbeat.
Where are you? What are you doing? How are you parents, brothers, sisters? The brave spouses who attended were gathered into the group with open arms. Tales were told, mostly true, and at the end of the evening promises were made to visit, to stay in touch.
That will be easier these days, unlike when we had our 11th reunion (we never did do things normally). We've already exchanged email address, found each other on facebook and shared photos with those who couldn't make the party. I've got a new group contact in my address book - NVOT 72. I plan on using it often.
Notice that I’m now using the word branding which is the integration of your brand promise into every aspect of your organization. A solid, consistent branding program effectively communicates your company’s brand promise. This can grow the size of all of your audiences; help you make marketing decisions; and shorten response time to your marketing messages.
Your brand is reflected in everything from the quality of your products and services, to your marketing strategies, to your choice of communication media, to your working environment and organizational culture.
Your brand enables you to build recognition and loyalty among your audiences in a memorable way and give staff a sense of belonging to a team.
Brand loyalty – one of the keys to an organization’s sustainability – is earned by the consistent presentation of your brand and everything that your brand implies.
The benefits of an effective brand strategy, though not always immediately apparent, are substantial and, in the final analysis, worth the time and resources required to implement.
Brand Management – It’s every day and it’s proactive.
Your brand is an asset, manage it as you would any other on your balance sheet. You already evaluate your company annually – determining the best way to effectively deliver products and services and maximize your resources. The same principle applies to your brand. Are you investing in your brand? Are those dollars being spent effectively?
Do you have a brand steward? This person is responsible for assuring your brand promise is true, consistently communicated and understood by all audiences. Everything that comes out of your organization is examined to see if it meets the test of brand effectiveness. Everything. Printed materials, your website, your office furniture, how staff responds to clients – everything is a reflection of your organization’s brand.
Do you have a Director of First Impressions? Yes you do. It’s the person who answers the phone or responds to an email. It is one of the first experiences someone may have with your brand and is critical – don’t overlook it.
Brand Myths and Pitfalls
Myths: Branding and marketing are one and the same. Marketing and advertising sell products and services A brand is a reflection of everything associated with the organization including the quality of the organization’s work, as well as it’s reputation, staff, leadership, culture, core values, and programs. A brand is an organization’s DNA.
Once you have a logo and a tagline you have your brand. Nope, they are just part of the brand integration.
Branding is the responsibility of the marketing staff. Nope, it is the responsibility of everyone in the organization. From board members to support staff.
There isn’t enough budget for branding. Branding creates affinity for your organization, ensures loyalty, minimizes competition, creates confidence, “sells” the public on your company. Strong branding creates returns and is worth every penny spent.
Pitfalls: Stagnation. “We’ve been around 30 years, everyone knows who we are!” Ask around, you might be surprised.
Misalignment. Not delivering on your promise. It only takes one misstep to destroy a relationship.
Not asking for help. Is this your area of expertise? Probably not. So call in the experts.
Never evolving. For example, have you embraced technology – how does it fit into your brand?
Dismissing branding. “It doesn’t matter if the logo is green – it looks better that way.” “We’ve got a logo and a tagline – what more do we need? “
What is your brand promise? Ask Yourself (Better Yet Ask Someone Else)
1. What is your brand promise?
2. How is your brand perceived by your audiences? Reputation – how well is your brand known Values – how highly does your audience rate your values Emotional Connections – does your audience care about your brand Differentiation – how is your brand different from others
3. How is your brand experienced? Internally – employees and staff, your family and friends Interested Parties – board, investors, vendors and suppliers Externally – customers and community Media – traditional, internet, bloggers
4. How do you communicate your brand? Marketing and advertising Public relations Internet marketing/website presence Board orientation Employee manuals Vendor relations
This is a basic brand audit and it will provide invaluable information and, likely, some surprises. We live our brands every day and our perception may not be the same as the marketplace. If you are surprised by what you hear, you have work to do.
The newest edition of ebizinsider is out - http://www.ebizinsider.com/category/marketing/
Check out my article on the brand promise. (reprinted here)
Mention the word brand or branding and you’ll probably see some eyes rolling.After all, everyone knows what a brand is right?It’s the type of shoe you buy and the peanut butter you eat.It’s the logos and colors that, without a word, represent a company.It’s the “Just Do It” and “Do No Evil” slogans that describe exactly how an organization operates.Right?
Well yes, and no.
A brand is a living thing.It has a heartbeat.It does not exist in a vacuum.It is the core of an organization.The logos, slogans, mission statements and management strategies are tangible iterations of the brand, manifestations of the core values of the company. So, what is a brand?
A brand is a promise wrapped in an experience.
It is a promise made to your employees, your customers, your investors, your vendors and suppliers.A promise implies that a trust between two entities has been established.Expectations and a sense of security or reliability grow from that trust.Break a promise and you destroy a relationship.
Thus the experience anyone has with your organization must reflect your promise.Every experience, every time.This is at the heart of marketing your organization, company, even yourself.So stop rolling your eyes and read on.
Why Brand Matters
Your brand is an intangible asset that occupies some of the most expensive real estate in the world – a very small niche in your customer’s brain.As human beings we respond to brands because we need to distinguish one thing from another in order to process information.One study after another tells us what we already know – we are bombarded by information in an endless, noisy stream every day.A strong brand promise allows the brain to selectively recognize and absorb a message.
The most consistently delivered brands are the ones people respond to.
The most consistently delivered brands communicate clearly.
The most consistently delivered brands are the ones people understand, know and trust.
How Do People Absorb a Brand?
Values
A brand is a promise and an expression of the core values of your company that creates expectations.When those values are in concert with the audience’s, a connection is made and attention is paid.
Emotional Connections
Your brand creates relationships based on shared beliefs.When emotions are triggered (joy, anger, indignation, exhilaration) by your brand promise the resulting action (purchase, donation, activism) is strong and determined.
Loyalty
This is often seen in the nonprofit world. People who become involved with a nonprofit brand see the world in a certain way and look for organizations that agree with that position.They want to join others who value and want the same things they do.For them, the brand promise must be absolutely clear and true.
Reputation
Branding occurs outside of your company – in the marketplace – so be careful what you promise. Remember, your brand is not a role.It is the core values of your organization delivered in every experience.Audiences who know you by reputation may never actually interact with your company, but they have an opinion nonetheless.You are not in control of how you are perceived which means your brand must never waver – this will only create competing messages in the marketplace.
Inspired Advocates
You can’t develop brand loyalty through creative advertising, or by developing a brilliant logo or theme song.It comes from being true to your promise.It’s that simple.Brands that don’t deliver on their promise create catastrophic, negative word of mouth. Brands that consistently exceed their promise create Inspired Advocates who will sing your praises near and far.
It's 13 degrees in NEPA right now. That's a heat wave compared to the single digits that have been the norm the past week. School delays for cold, not snow, occur each morning. No one wants to go outside but theydo as it is the reality they must deal with at the moment.
In Sarasota Florida, the temp will top out around 60 today. Local newscasts are focused on the effect of overnight freezes on crops, people are walking around in heavy fleeces and no one has braved the pool at the resort.
No one but the folks from "up north" who are walking around in shorts and sandals, soaking in the sunshine and talking about calling home to make sure the pipes haven't burst.
It's all relative.
Where you are - physically, mentally, geographically, spiritually - filters how you perceive the world. It's the reason two people will look at the same painting with different appreciations; the reason we can remember the words to one song but not another; the reason we identify with an author's words, a doctor's words or a friend's words.
So very often, marketers forget this simple idea and create brand messages that are "one size fits all" without regard to who is listening. In an effort to sell more product or sign up more users, the value of the brand is diluted to the point of meaninglessness.
A brand is a promise wrapped in an experience. That promise needs to be true and clear. It needs to resonate with your audience. Every interaction with your organization must be a reflection of your promise. This is not what you do - it is how you do it and why it matters.
Then remember you have no control. It is all relative. The perception of your organization is in the hands of those who meet you and there is some truth to the saying "you only get one chance to make a first impression."
