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Big Brand Strategies for Small Business
Big Brand Strategies for Small Business
A casual marketing conversation
• Introduce 5 rules of marketing
• Geared toward small business of any type
• Encourage your input & questions
• Take one thing that you can apply to your business
• Emphasize guerilla or grass roots tactics
Why follow the trends of big brands?
• Big Brands invest in the research• They know what works and what
doesn’t work• Some ‘get it.’ Some don’t.
– Know the difference
• Use your own consumer experiences as learning tools
The definitive example-Big Brand Strategy
Big brands focus on relationships & customer
experience
Follow the trends of big brands
• Why is this possible for any size business?
– Internet & email
– Digital printing
– Mass media impact is shifting
• TV has given way to computers, iPods & text messages
– Creating relationships doesn’t cost much
Big brands focus on relationships & experience
Footnote: It really works
Big brand strategy for small business
5 Rules of small business marketing
1. Establish a position
2. Speak with a single voice
3. Reward customer loyalty
4. Add emotion to your message
5. Advertise wisely & consistently
Consistent, comprehensive marketing
1. Establish Your Brand Position
1. Establishing a position
• List your competitors– What they do well, what they do poorly
• How do you differentiate yourself?• What do you do?
– Better - cheaper - faster - with more fun – with added value?– Answer from customer’s perspective
• Find your position relative to your competitors– Create a positioning statement– Stick to it until the market changes
Post it everywhere! It’s your guiding light.
Establishing a position
The words we use tell us a lot about a brand.
Establishing a position
Delays on the Aircraft
Onboard delays are situations we always try to avoid. However, if weather, gate-space limitations, visibility, airport conditions, mechanical problems, ATC requirements, or other uncontrollable circumstances cause ground delays of more than two hours, we will endeavor to:
1. Make refreshments available on request. If necessary, operationally feasible, and safe to do so, remote provisioning will remove trash and replenish depleted onboard snack and beverage service items.2. Make every reasonable effort to ensure that lavatories remain serviceable. If necessary, operationally feasible, and safe to do so, remote aircraft lavatory servicing will be requested and furnished.3. Inform our Customers when and if it is safe to use personal cellular phones, computers, faxes, and other portable electronic communications devices.4. Work with airport officials and other airlines to share or acquire equipment such as available gates, portable stairs, buses, vans, or other means by which Customers may deplane and be safely escorted to a terminal or other reasonable facility.5. Ensure that first aid and other routine medical services normally offered by Southwest remain available and that professional medical assistance is made available if necessary, operationally feasible, and safe to do so.6. Make every reasonable effort to minimize the duration of any onboard ground delay and to minimize, to the greatest extent possible, any and all associated Customer inconveniences.7. Regardless of whether a delay is incurred on the ground or in the air, we will try to keep you (and those who may be waiting for you at the airport) informed. We will provide the best information available to us with regard to the cause of the delay and any changes in the status of your flight.
Empowered employees who live the brand
Establishing a position
What two changes fixed their brand perception?
Establishing a position
The retail experience.
What’s yours?
Establishing a position
When products are similar…
Positioning creates distinction – affecting price, placement and consumer image
Establishing a position
Positioning creates distinction – affecting price, placement and consumer image
Establishing a position
And when the market changes….
Reconsider your position
But be careful when you change position
$1.00 Coffee at Starbucks?
Establishing a confusing position
The words we use tell us a lot about a brand.
Establishing a position
2. Speak with a Single Voice
2. Speak with a single voice
• Can’t be everything to everyone
• Use your position in your message
• Simple concepts & simple phrases
• We see over 5,000 messages a day
• Repetition increases memory
• Use similar styles and images
Successful brands consistently deliver the same quality product and the same brand messages.
Speak with a single voice
Lou’s BBQHardwood smoked
Catering from 10 – 10,000Wedding receptions
To go orders & deliveryRibs, chops, steaks, burgers & more
Over 15 TVs to watch the gameWinner of 10 blue ribbons
What will you remember?
Speak with a single voice
Lou’s BBQHome of really big napkinsGenerous portions in a casual setting
Award winning KC Style BBQEnough for dinner tonight & tomorrow
What will you remember?
Brief, on-targeted messages that convey the experience.
But beware of the risks.
Speak with a single voice
Four out of five dentists recommend sugarless gum for their patients
that chew gum
Anybody could have said it. Trident said it first.
Speak with a single voice
“Don’t Make Me Think”
Be Customer Focused• Not what you do• What customer wants• Speak like a customer
3. Reward Customer Loyalty
3. Reward customer loyalty
• It’s cheaper to keep a customer than find a new one
• Thank and reward your best customers– Frequency discounts– “Special sales” notices– Gifts (with caution)– Value-added services– Thank-you cards, calls & letters
Make it personal - Make a customer a friend
Reward customer loyalty
www.HugYourCustomers.com
•Remembering the name of your customer’s dog
•Calling a customer to make sure he’s satisfied after a purchase
•Having a kids’ corner with TV, books and treats
•Knowing your customer’s golf handicap
•Introducing customers to business contacts
Reward customer loyalty
Big Brand Strategy - World Class Customer Service
Reward customer loyalty
Reward customer loyalty
Big Brand Strategy - Measured Loyalty
Reward customer loyalty
Reward customer loyalty
4. Find the Emotional Connection
4. Find the emotional connection
Customers with an emotional connection are loyal
We celebrate every event in our lives, from birth to death, with a card.
But in business we often overlook opportunities for an emotional connection.
Find the emotional connection
Customers with an emotional connection are loyal
Freedom Travel, wealth, health, careerSecurity Physical security, job securityGreed Beat the competitionPleasure Recreational, emotional, hedonisticStatus Exclusivity, achievementSafety Protect your loved onesLove Strong emotional connectionsGuilt Don’t disappoint those you loveHealth Be active, participate
Find the emotional connection
Find the emotional connection
Find the emotional connection
How can you create an emotional connection?
5. Advertise Wisely
5. Advertise wisely
• Find your target, then advertise– Direct mail– Public relations– Sponsorships & charitable events– Internet & websites– Print – Newspaper & Magazine– Events & tradeshows
• Buy from a media-neutral source
Direct Mail
• Very targeted
• Good for business & consumer
• Flexible - sales, coupons, etc.
• Use your database first
• Avoid clutter
• Good sources: USPS & DMA
Trends: Variable data printing allowing greater personalization
Public Relations
Trends: Importance of traditional & nontraditional media – blogs, online communities and portals
• It’s free but no control
• Meet the press
• Nurture a relationship
• Be an expert
• Is it newsworthy?
Sponsorships, Charitable Events
• From little league baseball to politics
• Be selective
• Be consistent
• Avoid controversy
• Treat like advertising (measure response & benefit)
Trends: Cause branding for all size companies
Print: Newspaper & Magazine
Trends: Print media is the source of content. Delivery channel is selected by the recipient – online or print
• Engaged reader gets attention
• Magazines are targeted
• Newspapers have short retention
• Newspapers good for short-term sales
Events & Tradeshows
Trends: Marketing sophistication of tradeshow organizers
• Target audience• Is it an appropriate event?• Go to several before investing• More than just entry fee
– Prizes or give-a-ways– Time– Booth & graphics
Other Advertising Vehicles
Trends: Increasing demand for measurement and ROI
• Broadcast• Video• Outdoor• In-store• And an endless array of other advertising options
Online Strategies - Websites
• Clean, functional, engaging
• Maintain single voice
• Measure & optimize (SEO)
• Pay-Per-Click (SEM)
• Content is still king
Trends: Expanding pay-per-click, Deliver full experience online – Shop, buy, communicate
Online Strategies – Social Media
• A part of your marketing, not the totality of it
• Consumers have a louder voice than the company
• Must haves:– Consumer/facebook fans
– Sales staff/Linkedin network
5 rules of small business marketing
• Establish a position
• Speak with a single voice
• Reward customer loyalty
• Find an emotional connection
• Advertise wisely & consistently
Become an observer of big-brands & follow
