“Marketing is brand building. The two concepts are so inextricably linked that it’s impossible to separate them. Furthermore, since everything a company does can contribute to the brand-building process, marketing is not a function that can be considered in isolation.

Marketing is what a company is in business to do. Marketing is a company’s ultimate objective. That’s why everyone who works in a corporation should be concerned with marketing, and specifically, with the laws of branding.”-- Excerpt from The Book:“The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding”– Al Ries and Laura Ries

What Is Branding? What Is A Brand?

For ManyOrganizations,It’s More Than An Iconic Logo

It’s WhatYour Brand Conveys

Or Stands For

= Innovative technology that connects you to family, friends and colleagues

= Your health and your quest to become a stronger, fitter person

= “Trendy” spot to chat

Why do folks hold business meetings there versus some other major coffee spots (i.e. Dunkin’ Donuts)

It’s the STORY behind the brand that makes the logo so recognizable. These organizations aren’t merely selling products or services. They are selling the lifestyle that they deem their consumers’ DESIRE

How Do You Get There?

Creating an impactful brand is not simply creating a logo, it’s a processof guiding your potential clients through every step of their decision making process — long before and after the sale

It Starts With 3 Steps:

• KNOWING your customers

• ALLOWING them to get to know you

• EMPOWERING your people

Know Your Customers

Understand key customer demographics — gender, age, income, etc…

Know Your Customers

Use demographics to connect on a deeper level by understanding what customers ultimately want/need

This mom is buying a toy for her child — what does she really want though?

• Stimulate her daughter’s senses so she is aware of the world around her?

• Engage her attention so mom can work done?

• Help her daughter take a nap?

Market to the “need”, and you’ll engage the “prospect” and build your brand

Use Technology and Modern Applications

• The Swirl Application — the company uses Bluetooth technology to deliver messages to consumers based on where they are in the store.

Let Your Customers Get To KNOW YouWe live in an age of transparency. Virtually everything we do is being broadcast across social media for all the world to see

Let Your Customers Get To KNOW You• The same should be true

of how your consumers connect with your brand

Let Your Customers Get To KNOW You• People STILL do

business with people they like

Southwest Airlines — showed a Halloween video of their “Head Honcho” being transformed into Snow White

Cummins Diesel — showed its environmental responsibility in a unique, “fun” way

Empower Your PeopleHow do consumers get to know you?

Some Methods:• logo

• tagline/descriptor• advertising/direct marketing

• landing pages/website • social media • video/motion

A Stronger WayThe Folks Behind Your Message

Each of your public-facing employees is your new de facto spokesperson, from the chair someone praises (or rants about on social media) — to the manager who always has a ready smile and is willing to go the extra mile

Allow your staff to put their best foot forward by developing and encouraging the internal culture you want people to see when they look and engage with your brand

Organization Example: Twitter• Famous for — rooftop meetings, free

meals, yoga classes and unlimited vacations

• Workers love being a part of a team organization — and working with other like-minded people. Famous for having employees that don’t leave until a job is complete and who are working toward a cause.

The Result:• Twitter consistently ranks in the Top 2

in social media platforms for the past 3 years

Organization Example: Zappos• Famous for — before someone is hired

— candidates go through a cultural fit interview that carries half the weight of the employment decision.

• New hires are offered $2,000 to quit after their first week if they decide the position is not for them

The Result:• Zappos employees are dedicated to

taking care of its customers — over $1 billion in gross sales in less than 10 years

Organization Example: Gap• Gap’s social media policy may not be

for everyone — it is conversational and straightforward, but it reflects their brand and how they want employees to use social media

“If you !%#@ up? Correct it immediately and be clear about what you’ve done to fix it. Contact the social media team if it’s a real doozy”

It takes VISION & INVESTMENT

How much thought does ittake to promote Apple as opposed to the Farmer’s

Market just down the streetthat sells apples?

The right answer:The same amount

• Marketing & Branding is an investment in the future of your business

• The creative thought process is the same; the only difference is the amount of money you have to spend on the advertising budget

• Don’t cut corners on the branding and creative processes and you won’t shortchange your results

• A solid branding firm will be with you on your journey to appeal to prospects and customers at every step of the purchasing process and lifetime of the customer

m i c h a e l d e s r o c h e s o n l i n e . c om#C o f f e eW i t hMD

# B r a n d I n s p i r a t i o n

talkingfinger.com 203-491-0306

bill@talkingfinger.com

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