Branding?

From: Ramon Ray <ramon_at_smallbiztechnology.com>
Date: Thu 02 Mar 2000 07:44:11 -0500

KIM BROOKS WROTE:
> What is a Brand?
> Can you be successful and be Brandless?
> Can you think of Brandless (or low-Brand)
> identitities?

For my "Small Business Technology Report" audience I
went through a laborious process of trying to define
branding and have come up with a definitive answer.
(For information on how to purchase the full
radicalized branding report visit:
http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/ctrmj/branding.htm )

We all know (or should) of course Rob Frankel's
branding definition that branding is getting your
customers to choose you over the competition and this
is exactly what branding is.

In addition, I talked to executives at Federal Express
and other "branded companies" and almost all agreed
that branding is a promise you make to customers, and
this promise is echoed throughout your ENTIRE
organization. From the cleaners, to the CEO's, from
the cups to the bathrooms, from the sales associates
to the marketing team and etc.

Most people use the word "branding" when they actually
mean awareness. When cows, prisoners, slaves and etc
were (are?) branded...what happens? A sticker is not
put on their arms....believe me!

I have advised my audience of small business technology
marketers to initiate a radicalized branding process -
not awareness or mind share (these are parts of the
branding process), but I've advised them to make a
promise, that is so compelling, so amazing that
customers would be absolutely foolish for not using
vendor x's products over someone else's products.

What marketers in this world of advertising clutter and
people vying for the eyeballs and ears of customers
need to do is initiate aggressive and radicalized
branding.

During the course of a conversation with one of my
clients she said, "Ramon, you know I would NEVER buy a
computer without your advice" - this my friends is a
"branded" customer. How did I do this...not by giving
her good advice (this helped) but by pro-active and
ongoing customer service and other things. Making my
"brand" (Ramon Ray) stand out and eventually become
the ONLY option for her!

PS:


"Become the Brand of Choice : How to Earn Millions
Through Relationship Marketing"
by Jason Hartman
Lifestyles Press, October 1999
Create "clients for life" to increase your bottom line.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1583200045/fccssmallbusiness

Rob's book I'm sure is a must read:
http://www.revengeofbrandx.com/

And Seth Godin's Permission Marketing are great resources
(you can see an interview I did with him at:
http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/ctrmj/sethgodininterview.htm

And see some chapters of his book and then order it at:
http://www.smallbiztechnology.com/ctrmj/permissonmarketing.htm


Ramon Ray, ramon_at_smallbiztechnology.com
Small business technology analyst and consultant
"Small Business Technology Report" and "Technology and Your Business"
http://www.smallbiztechnology.com
THE oasis of small business solutions and information!





Received on Thu Mar 02 2000 - 06:44:11 CST