Branding – Still the Key Success Factor

This is the fifth blog in the New Media Marketing (NMM) series. So you may ask - when will we read about actual helpful hints concerning my web site, blog e-zine, etc. They are coming BUT without the proper background of target knowledge, content messages, branding, and actually building relationships, NMM quickly becomes an exercise in ”playing’ with the new media. As business people we do not have time to just play.

Your brand is still one of your most important assets and must be both properly used and protected in any and all marketing campaigns. Let’s visit the concept of brand quickly before moving on. The following story was found in Email Marketing by Jeanniey Mullen and David Daniels, Wiley Publishing.

“How Strong Is a Brand? A Lesson from History, Matey – As Captain John Smith looked out the starboard side of his ship, he felt his heart beating faster. Land! He saw land! What a phenomenal feeling He knew would be a matter of days before he could see his baby daughter again. Captain John Smith turned and walked to the other side of the ship. As ne looked out the port side, he felt his heart beating faster. But this time it was for a very different reason. This is what he saw – a black flag with skull and cross bones. No words, no tag lines, not a sound – just a brand image. This image very quickly registered in the captain’s head: death and destruction. The brand of the pirate was very clear: - we are here to kill and rob you. We will succeed, and with every success our brand will grow stronger.”

That is the power of a brand. Your brand will set into place certain beliefs, opinions, and assumptions about your company and brand. Your brand and company image are critical to your success. A strong brand will generate a sense of trust in your customer/client. This is extremely important for e-based processes where security and privacy are a concern. As we had discussed, potential customers are under time pressure, thus we have only a limited amount of time together their attention. Your brand, coupled with your elevator speech helps tell what your business is about very succinctly and in a meaningful matter.

Take into account the following three tenets:

• Businesses no longer control customer’s decisions, customers do.
• Longer companies refuse to accept the importance of customer dialog (two-way communications), do not utilize new technology to foster collaboration, will actually alienate and drive away potential clients
• Where customers now control conversations (satisfied clients tell three friends and angry ones tell 3,000 – you must achieve credibility throughout all aspects of your marketing program.)

To summarize the above – smart brands constantly evaluate customer wants and needs (psychographics) by listening all the time.

So Master Story Teller what is the bottom line? Keeping the design elements, the look, personality of your messages similar or identical over time strengthens branding, reinforces each of your messages, and makes your next message even more impactful to your audience.

Branding makes each NMM message and posting more inviting and recognizable to your targeted audience. They know that the message comes from a trusted and familiar source.

As a beginning make sure that each message you send or post has the following:
• Graphics and logos that are unique to your company
• Text and fonts that you use to differentiate your product/service
• Color schemas used consistently to give your company its identity.
• Also start matching your print communications with your e-based communications.