Why Startups need integrated communications to build brand value
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Transcript of Why Startups need integrated communications to build brand value
Creating Brand Value for your Business
Running an integrated and Cost Effective
Communications Program
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Brand Building!! WHY??
• Brand building is the QUALITY & EXPERIENCE you promise to your customer!
• All else remains a Commodity to be purchased on pure pricing benefits - “Premium Vs Discounts”
• Simply put … a brand is the reason why customers will choose your product over the competition
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Ask yourself
Does it really matter to you which brand of petrol would you prefer to fill in your car & WHY?
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Building Brand value through customer experience
Research shows
• Since petrol will continue to remain a commodity, brand building happens at the petrol station level.
• They build on “customer experiences”
• Some Examples
• Services • Conveniences • Swanky retail outlets within
filling stations • Courteous attendants • Lesser filling time
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When “my product is a commodity”
• In some product categories, “Brand” is not central to the purchase
• Yet they spend time and money “building the brand”
• Its about VISIBILITY, EXPERIENCE and then LOYALTY
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BUT the Big Problem is the BUDGET !!
• So if we don’t have the budgets CAN WE REPLACE BRAND BUILDING with an aggressive pricing strategy?
• Experience says, it hasn’t quite worked even for players with deep pockets
• Ultimately the product experience and quality story is KING!!
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This marketing experiment is now being seen in ecommerce businesses
• According to a KPMG report nearly two-thirds of people buy online due to the cheaper prices and discounts
• Too many players in categories, vying for the same pool of customers
• Customer loyalties are low
• In India, ‘convenience’ is still in conflict with ‘touch and feel’
• Funding is increasingly becoming an issue and available now for the relatively BIGGER players i.e. the more recognized BRANDS
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Like it OR not… Brand building is key to survival and success of your business!
Some rules of brand building new entrants In the digital age
• Brand building is about “distinctiveness and Image” – It is NOT DIRECT SELLING!!
• Customers are now in charge…
• People will find you only if they want you
• The KEY is to be visible with a great reason why they should choose you
• They will also coalesce around you or against you
• The KEY is to get the WOM going in your favor
• It will be a slow burn & a sustained process– so
deploy it early enough
• Must be smart and cost effective,
conversation- generating and measurable
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Banarasi/Patan Patolas
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• Your Quality story
• Heritage Story (make sure it is distinct and rooted in your creation story)
• The Experience story
• The Aspiration story
• Save The World Story
Tip 1…Get online BUT Figure out your story first
And…if your story sells, your BRAND does too…
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Tip 2 – Tell your story through the RIGHT digital interface
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Overt Storytelling Covert Storytelling User Gen Content
• About Page
• Product Pages
• Return Policy
• Free Shipping.
• Design
• Colors
• Images
• Headlines
• People
• Comments
• Reviews
• Contests
• Polls, Surveys
Engagement is important here as Google wants you to do it
• And nothing “engages” better than great stories and storytelling
• Heuristic Measures Include • Time On Site
• Pages viewed by an average visitor
• Repeat visitors
• Bounce rates
• Mobile engagement
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Also…Keep it really really Simple & answer a need right away!
• Every website must answer in seconds, “What does Zipbuds.com want me to do NOW?”
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Tip 3…Start developing content around your story for high digital engagement
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• High Engagement led Conversion should drive your digital media campaign
• Encourage Reviews
• Blog that is real time and interesting
• Relevant real time offers
• Breaking news Stories
Simple Videos can tell powerful stories!
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Tip 4 – Use Networks to drive your messages
• You must be present and visible in industry forums
• You must be seen amongst your peers in conferences or exhibitions
• You must spend time with at least 10 journalists from your category – coverage or no coverage
• Social networking with “you” as the brand is important
Important: Be ready with your 1 single message that highlights the USP of your business
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Tip 5 – get some of your stories out in the media
• A unique idea that is the very basis of your business
• A Unique behind the scenes story
• Story of how your product changes or impacts lives
• Your story – a big career change
• Getting bigger brands to associate with you as partners
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Mera Gao Power aims to provide lighting and clean solar powered energy to power two LED lamps & mobile phone charging
point @ Rs 25 per week
Mirakle couriers Mumbai employs low
income deaf adults
You can do it yourself – understand what gets written about
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Tip 6 – Own a property that relates to your BRAND…
• Based on your business you should stand for at least 1 thing that is your marketing leverage
Some ideas
• A waste management company that works with children
• A furnishing company that works with endangered artisans of India
• A spices company that works with tribal population
• A garments company that stands for “ethical fashion”
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All you need is an Idea!! Innovate to promote
Ideas are free – and execution can be cheap too!!
Aviva Aircel
Tip 7 – Run some Low cost/High Impact promotions
• You need a little bit of professional help…specialists and experts who are among your friends– NOT big budget agencies
• You need to commit TIME– NOT Big Advertising budgets!!
• You need a bit of PR and BTL…that’s your only cost. Here too its possible to find cost effective solutions
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AND …you need to run it in an integrated manner… CONSISTENTLY !
The BIG question… what does it cost to run a
communications campaign for startups?
“Jugaad” is a word we gave the world!!
Passion and need drives the low cost solutions. Creativity is KEY!!
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Disclaimer
I am not asking you to do this ever!!