Brands that is. We all see them everyday, perceptively and unconsciously. Some stand out like a wet dog on white shag pile carpet. Others are as compelling as the increasing wail of a police siren. Many will argue that it’s personal. Yet brand managers and increasingly sociologists know something deeper is going on with society at large.
Brand building is like building a house. It has to be strong. Good brands are emotional, relevant and clear and structurally strong and resilient.
They also have an understandable (value) proposition. Without a clear understanding of what you have to offer, for whom and what need the product or services addresses, and why they should select you from the masses – don’t bother getting to the sign-writer or stationary stage.
And yet lots of budding business owners invest a great deal of there “hard-earned” to simply build a monument (websites and other marketing material) to their hopes and aspirations. From our experience, it does us no favor to see clients proceed with very fixed views and demands, despite our voiced concerns, only to hear months later of a flat launch, little buy-in or sales and their cash wasted.
We could venture some opinions about why but in the end, the result is never good. We recommend to our clients that just like real estate investments, an ounce of planning will make tons of difference to any brand’s success. Developing a strong, clear value proposition for your business will generate a substantial return on a relatively small investment for many years to come. Once this is complete and;
- Someone thoughtful, objective and committed to your long- term success has been involved. Potential customers are great
- You are delighted with it
- It stacks up against your best competition
- It is feasible for you to consistently deliver
Once this critical work is complete, the next fundamental piece of the building program can be done……………