Brandlift podcamp 2011 'rising tide' presentation

© 2011 Brandlift LLC

Brand Strategy:The Rising Tide That Lifts All Ships


Key takeaways

‣ The costly mistake too many marketers + companies make‣ Why brands have such a powerful impact

on business‣ How to assess + improve the clarity

+ appeal of your brand/message


Ready to hook some customers?


‣ Which do we want + why?

‣ Where are they?

‣ What are they looking for + when?

‣ Who else is fishing?

‣ How do we leverage our best attributes + tools to lure/secure the ones we want?

Ready = eager + prepared

““


...You see these absolutely beautiful, well-programmed sites that are missing that key piece of saying the right things to the right people...


“...that key piece...” is a

compelling brand message

““


Brand: A collection of images, ideas + descriptive symbols that convey the essence of a company, product, or service

““


A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company.

Marty Neumeierfrom The Brand Gap


The rising tide

‣ Brands inject focus, flavor + purpose—producing a lifting effect on business performance + value‣ All marketing touch points, efforts + dollars

‣ Key functions company-wide

‣ Deeper, human connections


Missing the boat

‣ Trying to be all things to all people

‣ Tactics before (or instead of) strategy‣ Easier + cheaper at first...but costly in the end

– Communications are bland, unclear, or both

– One-off results tend to disappoint

– Hard to redo; harder to undo


Really?!?

‣ “Our primary goal is to make every transaction a positive experience for our customers.”

‣ “We take seriously our obligations to our clients. We have the will and the resources to meet their needs.”

‣ “From service implementation to ongoing support, we make customer care a top priority.”

““


Digital technology has not changed the basic principles of brand building...the digital world, if anything, has served to redefine the scale of power...

Allen P. Adamsonfrom BrandDigital


Building a brand

Discover Develop DeployDefine


The missing “D”

Discover Develop DeployDefineDistill

““


Creativity without focus may be interesting, but it’s not motivating.

Allen P. Adamsonfrom BrandSimple


What makes brands so

powerful?

““


Brand: Serves to create associations + expectations; key objective is to create a relationship of trust


Products

Brands

sell on features + benefits

sell on promises, expectations + emotions


Products

Brands

compete on price

take price out of the equation (or command premiums)


Products

Brands

invite side-by-side comparisons

establish true competitive differentiation


Products

Brands

can earn loyal users

inspire trust, passion + evangelism


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

a logo or company name

about an identity—built on personality, principles + a promise to customers


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

making an email or brochure look pretty

delivering compelling, memorable stories


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

told to audiences

two-way conversations with people


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

an occasional marketing program

a consistent + ongoing company initiative


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

just tactical, like websites + campaigns

strategic, incorporating positioning, messaging + behavior


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

a fabrication or “fluff”

built on truths


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

only for big companies

attainable + powerful for any entity


Branding is

Branding isMYTH:

TRUTH:

an expense

an investment toward a valuable business asset


Your target customers are drowning in a sea of mindless marketing.

They’re bored, confused, tired...and indifferent.

Problem?


Or

opportunity?

““


Success is related to standing out, not fitting in.

Creative Director Don Draper of AMC’s ad agency drama “Mad Men”


Brand Strategy‣Who you’re talking to

‣ Audiences + their motivations

‣What you say‣ Unique, meaningful message points

‣What they gain

‣ How you’re different + credible

‣How you convey it‣ Creative expression + style‣ Delivery + experience


4 key questions to help you attract more of the customers you want

© 2011 Brandlift LLC 1

What qualities do my most desirable customers share?

‣ Prioritize what’s most valuable to you‣ High revenue

‣ High margins

‣ Low maintenance

‣ Close proximity

‣ Optimal product mix


What’s most important to my target customers?

‣ It’s not you...it’s them!‣ Too many companies fixate on themselves

‣ You have to first tell them how they’ll be better off

‣ Promise specific + relevant benefits 2


Does my business stand out or blend in?

‣ You can’t afford to be typical‣ Pinpoint what your best customers value

about your company/product

‣ Tell your story (make sure it’s authentic!)

‣ Appeal to targets’ emotions

‣ Be informative at the same time 3


How do I establish the right foundation?

‣ Planning, discipline, imagination, courage...+ balance!‣ Ask tons of questions

‣ Mine for important themes + insights

‣ Boil it down so it’s easy to grasp

‣ Let your company’s personality shine 4


The input...

Offerings

Markets

Customers

Competition

Personality, values + culture

Touch points + feedback channels

Powerful brands within + outside your field

Marketing + business objectives

DISCOVERY



The output...

PracticalityDescription: Literal explanation of the business

CredibilityFacts: Performance track record + recognition

FunctionStructure/Navigation: Framework for

organizing + presenting content

PersonalityTone: Evocative voice, style, metaphor/themes

CharacterPhilosophy: Cultural values + uniqueness

FormAesthetics: Visual design + impact as they relate to experience

BALANCE

SUBSTANCE STYLE



ClarityUnified, focused + substantive identity + competitive positioning

DistinctionUniquely expressive + recognizable communications

AlignmentMarketing efforts + investment tied to business objectives

InspirationA shared sense of pride, purpose + excitement for the company’s capabilities, values + future

The lift...Discover Develop DeployDefineDistill


The ships...Discover Develop DeployDefineDistill

WEBSITES

LITERATURE

ADVERTISING

SEARCH

LEAD GENERATION

MEDIA RELATIONS

NEWSLETTERS

BLOGS

EVENTS

MOBILE APPS

PRESENTATIONS

WOM/REFERRALS

SOCIALMEDIA

POINT-OF-SALE

INVESTOR RELATIONS

TRAINING

CUSTOMER CARE


The payoff...

Employee pride + engagement

Prospect awareness + interest

Sales efficiency + production

Customer loyalty + revenue

Market confidence + valuation

BRAND


Quick recap—then questions

‣ A brand is the essence of a company, product, or service‣ People form emotional connections

with brands


Recap...

‣ Brands lift marketing effort + investment

‣ Brand strategy provides an indispensable framework that guides all communications + behavior‣ Digital technology magnifies brands’

impact + effectiveness (or lack thereof)


Recap...

‣ The principles of brand building are constant‣ The best brands balance substance +

style (“logic + magic”) to create a powerful business asset


Recap...

‣ Pursuing tactics before (or instead of) strategy is a costly mistake many companies make

‣ Invest in your brand foundation—take advantage of your opportunity to achieve true competitive separation


Insights + inspiration

Marty NeumeierAllen P. Adamson


Thanks!

Questions / feedback?

Andy [email protected]

Or let’s talk now...


Brand Strategy:The Rising Tide That Lifts All Ships

“You see these absolutely beautiful, well-programmed sites that are missing that key piece of saying the right things to the right people.”

That opinion was published in BtoB Magazine’s Interactive Marketing Guide for 2008. While we believe the underlying sentiment still rings true today, the point extends beyond web sites to many facets of digital (as well as offline) marketing.

Having attended Podcamp Philly a few years ago, we were impressed by the substance and impartiality of the many sessions. Yet the focus tended to be on the tactical (and often technical) levels of presenting and delivering messages.

What about the message itself?

We’ll explain the essence of strong, unique, and engaging brand communications (the tide) and how a well crafted platform will raise the effectiveness of the many digital tactics attendees will learn about in other Podcamp sessions: blogs, pay-per-click ads, SEO, social media, email marketing, and so on (the ships).

Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of: Branding myths; The impact of brands versus products; Key components + characteristics of persuasive brands/messages; Messaging pitfalls to avoid; Self-assessment questions to evaluate their own organization’s marketing assets + readiness

A campaign is only as good as its ability to reach—and motivate—its target audience(s). Join us and make sure your digital marketing efforts have the substance and style to move your market.


2011 Speaker:Andy Goldenberg

Andy Goldenberg challenges growth-oriented companies to stand out—positioning them to attract more of the customers they want, and to pursue opportunities with more focus, more tools, and more confidence. In 2008, he formed Brandlift, a boutique brand strategy and communications agency, to fill the void created by businesses’ widespread failure to differentiate themselves. (Is “We Love Our Customers” really unique? Or motivating?) Andy’s known for delivering “creative capital”—purposeful communications programs that balance strategic thinking with imaginative and artistic expression. Prior to Brandlift, he spent 14 years leading the marketing of a fast-growing telecom company, taking on the industry’s “big three” and guiding the corporate brand through no less than four mergers and a Chapter 11 reorganization. His work has earned recognition on local and national levels, including the American Business Awards and Sales Excellence Awards.

Brandlift podcamp 2011 'rising tide' presentation

Business

Transcript of Brandlift podcamp 2011 'rising tide' presentation