34
How to Brand your Cleantech Company to attract partners, investors, licensees and customers Farida Fotouhi [email protected] © Copyright 2009 Reality2 LLC
How to Brand your Cleantech Companyto attract partners, investors, licensees and customers
Farida Fotouhi [email protected]
© Copyright 2009 Reality2 LLC
2
www.reality2.com
This isyour time
3
www.reality2.com
You have a new champion. A stimulus package. And more to come!
Reduce greenhouse gases
Clean energy economy: funding, green jobs
“Our survival depends on finding new sources of energy” (Address to Congress, Tuesday Feb 24)
Solar, wind, biofuels, storage, smart grid, fuel cells--
“Answers are in..our laboratories and..the imaginations of our entrepreneurs.”..
$15 billion in clean tech initiatives
Reduce dependence on foreign oil
4
www.reality2.com
Ene
rgy
Water
Foo
d
5
www.reality2.com
Cleantech is the place to be today.
But, to reap the rewards you need to: Build a brand Align yourself with the big picture vision Define the roadblock you remove Educate Demonstrate a good business case Show a clear benefit for each audience Keep it simple
Your brand = the sum of experiences at every point of contact.
7
www.reality2.com
You have a brand whether you know it or not. Take control and make it work for you.
“What X stands for”
8
www.reality2.com
A brand is both facts and feelings.
Market savvy?
Credible?
Cutting edge?
Am I in love?
Pain relieved?
Why is it better?
$ Potential?
Market traction?
9
www.reality2.com
The Reality-Based branding and positioning triangle.
10
www.reality2.com
Your customer.
Customer POV by segment
Greatest pain / greatest opportunity
Change: drivers & barriers
Why choose you
11
www.reality2.com
Your competition.
What do they say they do?
What do they really do?
Who knows this?
Be sure you’re different
Monitor competitive sites
12
www.reality2.com
Your value proposition.
Customer-focused
Simple and clear
Differentiated
One brand/target segments
13
www.reality2.com
How should you define and express your brand personality?
Helpful?
Friendly?
Compassionate?
Businesslike?
Solution-focused?
Cutting-edge?
Align yourself with the big picture vision and be specific about the roadblock you remove.
15
www.reality2.com
16
www.reality2.com
ALIGN WITH BIG PICTURE
SPECIFIC ROADBLOCK YOU REMOVE
17
www.reality2.com
NEW WAY
OLD WAY
EDUCATE (SIMPLE, CLEAR)
Paradigm shifters: educate! Own the solution as thought leader.Change perceptions and behavior.
19
www.reality2.com
EDUCATE: CHANGE PERCEPTIONS
BE A THOUGHT LEADER
20
www.reality2.com
OWN THE SOLUTION AS THOUGHT LEADER
Make a good business case.Sustainability alone isn’t sustainable.
22
www.reality2.com
Businesses buy sustainability when it also adds value and impacts the bottom line.
1) Sustainability
2) Affordability
3) Quality
23
www.reality2.com
THE BUSINESS CASE
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
24
www.reality2.com
THE BUSINESS CASE + GREEN BENEFIT OLD WAY - NEW WAY: QUALITY
OLD WAY - NEW WAY: SAVINGSOWNERSHIP OF SOLUTION (IP)
A value proposition for each target audience (within unified brand)
26
www.reality2.com
The early stage target audience.
High-profile customer(s)
Strategic partners
Licensors
Potential buyer
Investors
27
www.reality2.com
Early Stage Branding: the key components.
A branding strategy
Clear market-focused value proposition for each target
Professional startup package (not home-made)
Name/logo
Website
Brochure
Presentation
See http://www.reality2.com/early_stage_branding.html
Keep it simple.
29
www.reality2.com
You’ve developed a clean tech breakthrough.
30
www.reality2.com
Commercialization, branding and selling involve an entirely different skill set.
Ours is better!
31
www.reality2.com
Can you explain your product to a six-year-old?
Simplify
Educate
Show clear benefits
Whatis it you guys
again?do
Sowhat?
How to Brand your Cleantech Companyto attract partners, investors, licensees and customers
Farida Fotouhi [email protected]
© Copyright 2009 Reality2 LLC
