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Industry
Pro Interview: Branding - Turning
Your Custome |
by:
Karon
Thackston |
by Karon
Thackston © 2001
http://www.ktamarketing.com
When you say the word "branding", most people
think USP (unique selling proposition).
However a USP is far from the equivalent
of a brand as we're about to find out. What
is branding? Is it just for "big boys"?
And how the heck do you create one, anyway?
Rob Frankel (http://www.robfrankel.com)
has been called "the best branding expert
on the planet" and is author of "The Revenge
of Brand X: How to Build Big Time BrandT
on the Web or Anywhere Else", (available
at http://www.revengeofbrandx.com). He now
shares some insights with us that will shed
a little light on the branding mystery.
KARON: Thanks for your time, Rob. I know
your schedule is packed.
ROB: You're welcome!
KARON: Well, let's start with the basics...
everyone in the world has heard the term
branding but it is still widely misunderstood.
What is the basis of branding and - more
importantly - why should a business care
about it?
ROBFRANKEL: Branding is THE most misunderstood
aspect of marketing. Here's the best example
I can give. Just as you're more than a simple
name and a face, a business is more than
a name and a product. So a brand is as much
the way you do things as what you do.
A business should care about it, because
THAT'S the stuff that inspires loyalty and
motivates people to evangelize the brand.
That's where the money is, in more ways
than you can imagine.
KARON: So for those who think branding is
coming up with a USP and just plastering
it all over everywhere... what would you
say?
ROB: A couple of things: First, my own branding
(Big Time Branding) is not about a USP at
all. It's about a UBP. Unique Buying Proposition.
THAT'S the problem with almost all brands
-- they concentrate on what they have to
sell instead of why people want to buy.
Also, many confuse branding with advertising
and PR. That's because old ad hacks try
to pass themselves off as branding people.
Fact is, "First you build the brand, then
you raise its awareness."
The brand happens long before either advertising
or PR. internally and externally.
KARON: Just like I might wear the same jeans
and t-shirt as another woman but I'm very
different inside. It's that difference that
makes the brand.
ROB: Branding goes down to the core. In
fact, I have a Ubiquitous Brand Test in
my book: "Are we doing it the
way?" If the answer is no, you're not branded.
Here's another example: Can I send you $100,000
in cash?
KARON: Well of course you can!
ROB: I'd like to overnight it to you. Is
that okay?
KARON: Sure it is!
ROB: Okay, but you have to pay for the shipping...
you want me to send it US Post Office or
FEDEX or what?
KARON: FEDEX
ROB: Most people say FEDEX... and rightly
so. Because FEDEX has a brand image that
communicates how they won't let the businessman
down. And most people will gladly pay $15
more for the exact same service, even though
they're basically the same. That $15 difference
is pure branding profit.
KARON: Good Point! Now let me ask you this...
how do you respond to the statement that
branding is just for the big boys?
ROB: JUST THE OPPOSITE!!!! The less money
you have, the stronger your brand has to
be, because you rely more on your users
evangelizing for you. The big boys have
the WORST brands because they tend to buy
their way out of their problems.
KARON: So, as small business owners, we
have to have the complete package - we have
to have it all together for our branding
to "work"?
ROB: Of course. Remember, that the point
of Big Time Branding is to "turn users into
evangelists for your brand". Otherwise,
what's the point?
KARON: So how do we do that? I realize it's
a process and not a 2-step "thing", but
give those that have done little or nothing
with branding a starting point.
ROB: The problem is that branding has to
be done from the outside in, because that's
who the brand is for -- people who DON'T
know you. Most business owners are too focused
on what they've got to sell, not on how
they can be "the best solution to other
people's problems."
KARON: Boy do I agree 100% with you on that!!
With copywriting (my specialty) it's the
same way! If you don't know your target
audience - can't really get inside their
minds - your copy will just be a list of
nicely worded facts.
ROB: Exactly!
KARON: OK... then tell me this... What is
the most widely made mistake when trying
to brand yourself or your product?
ROB: The most common mistake is not heeding
the Prime Directive: "Branding is not about
getting your prospects to choose you over
your competition; it's about getting your
prospects to see you as the only solution
to their problem."
KARON: Amen to that!!
ROB: They just keep cutting their prices
and thinking it's a sales or advertising
issue. They keep looking in the wrong places.
KARON: And we know for a fact it is not
pricing. That's why people pay $15 more
for FEDEX. That's why people pay $68 for
Liz Claiborne jeans instead of $25 for Lee.
ROB: Got that right!
KARON: Wow! Some good info here, Rob. I
appreciate it very much. Well, any closing
words of wisdom?
ROB: I would add that everyone out there
is constantly selling, selling, selling.
Big Time Brands know that while advertising
grabs their minds, branding grabs their
hearts. People invest their non-rational
loyalties into brands that help them. Make
a hero out of your user and you'll turn
them into brand evangelists.
KARON: And since "most buying decisions
are emotional", you have to hit 'em where
they live :-)
ROB: Yeah, it's okay to build a business
strategy where part of it is to have people
like you!
****** Also, here's a Business Essentials
Subscriber Freebie. you can visit http://www.RobFrankel.com/frankelaws.html
for some inside information straight from
Rob's book "The Revenge of Brand X".
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Most buying decisions are emotional. Your
ad copy should be, too! Karon is Owner
and President of KT & Associates who offers
targeted copywriting, copy editing & ezine
article services. Subscribe to KT & Associates'
Ezine "Business Essentials" at
join-businessessentials@lyris1.listenvoy.com
or visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com.
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