Branding

07/28/2015

Learn to tell your story.

Everyone has a story of how about they arrived at where they are today, but not everyone can tell it.  And even if they can, not all of them do.  A happy exception is the Smiling Cow gift shop in Camden, Maine.

The Smiling CowThe Smiling Cow has occupied the same storefront on the main street in this beautiful seaside village since 1940, and continues to be owned and operated by the family who founded it.
 
The story of how the business began is both entertaining and inspiring - you can read it here.  What's unique about The Smiling Cow is that they make their story a central part of their business, by telling it in lots of places beyond just the  "About Us" page of  their website; they also broadcast it in this video on the home page, but they don't stop there...
 
In the back of the store, there's a hospitality deck that overlooks the working harbor.  There are chairs for sitting and relaxing while enjoying the view, and a table with  free tea and coffee.  In a prominent place on the table is a stack of color brochures containing the story of the Smiling Cow.  The Smiling Cow clearly wants people to know their story, and they make it easy and entertaining to learn.
 
They're proud of their story, and they purposely put it out there where more people will get to know it.
 
Why is this a good thing?
  • Well, for starters, everyone loves a story.
  • True stories provide an element of authenticity, and what business doesn't need more of that?
  • People like to buy from people.  Stories humanize a business; when we hear stories about the genuine human side of the people that founded a business, and the trials and tribulations they went through to grow the business to the point where  it is today, as customers -  "fellow humans" - we're drawn closer to the business; we develop an affinity for it.
The point is this:
Learn to tell your story in a way that brings out the truly human side of your business. 
Make it both genuine and entertaining.
And publish it in multiple places where more customers can get to know it.
 
Everyone likes a story.
What's yours?
 
Smiling Cow Video

Posted at 07:39 AM in Branding, Marketing Best Practices | Permalink | Comments (0)

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12/20/2014

How a Technology Vendor won me over with a few Tootsie Rolls

I love surprises - most of our human species does.
 
They don't have to be big surprises; just simple, small, unexpected pleasures work just fine.  And that's what I got when I unpacked my new wireless headset recently.
 
When the order from Headsets.com arrived, I opened the box, removed the equipment and packing material, and there at the bottom of the box were about seven colored Tootsie Roles.   I was caught completely off-guard by these few pieces of candy, and my mental state shifted from "serious tech guy" to "happy human guy."
 
Tootsie Rolls in box"Hey, I thought, "who was the clever, thoughtful person that put the candy in the box with my headset order?"
 
In that  instance, my perception of  Headsets.com changed from a supplier of telephone equipment, to a group of fun, caring people with families and children, who don't take life too seriously.  My subconscious decided that I like these Headset.com guys.  And if I like someone, I   them more.
 

Who would have known that a few pennies worth of candy could have such a powerful impact? What makes this happen?  
 
  1. They were totally unexpected; I was .

  2. They touched me on a emotional level - a lot like the warm cookie when you check in at DoubleTree hotels.

  3. And they created a human connection to the vendor:  I could picture a person packing the shipment, saying, "Hey - let's surprise this customer by sneaking some candy into the box with his headset!."
 
The point is this:
Every business has a touch point that can be improved by the Tootsie Roll factor - a point along the customer journey where you can do something unexpected that's simple, kind and human.  It needn't be a Tootsie Roll, it needn't be candy; it doesn't even have to be edible.  Just make it simple, fun and memorable.  Find that touch point, and introduce your version of the Tootsie Roll.  And make that part of your standard process.
 
Where have you seen the Tootsie Roll factor used by other businesses?
Where can you put the Tootsie Roll factor to work in your business?
What's your favorite Tootsie Roll flavor?
Bulk tootsie rolls

Posted at 11:19 AM in Branding, Customer Experience, Customer Journey | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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02/07/2014

Why CVS' decision to stop selling cigarettes will increase sales.

Why would a company stop selling somethign that brings in 2 Billion dollars a year, when they don't have to?

CVS' recent decision to stop selling tobacco products shouts out the message that their corporate purpose is not to generate revenue; their purpose is to play an important role in the delivery of healthcare to its customer.  And if they fulfill that purpose well, they'll attract customers, generate revenue and make a profit.

Cvs cigarette sales

Photo courtesy of the New York Times.

 

"Purpose" increases revenue and profitabilty through two sources:

(1) Customer Loyalty

I suspect a lot of non-smoking customers of Rite Aid and Walgreen will now cross the street to go to CVS instead, inspired by what they perceive to be a more genuine purpose.  When a company shows a singular  purpose, it tends to attact more loyal customers.  And customer loyalty drives more revenue, and more profitable revenue.

(2) Employee Engagement

I also suspect that this more genuine purpose will attract and inspire a higher level of employee engagement because the new breed of employees want more than a job with a company that provides a paycheck and career path - they want to work for a company with a purpose.

According to the most recent Gallup survey on Employee Engagement, companies with higher levels of employee engagement have lower turnover, higher customer loyalty, faster revenue growth, and higher profitability (which was pointed out in this article.)  Simply put, employee engagement drives growth.

Having a well-aligned, customer-focused purpose is just good business.  And when the purpose is right, the customers will come, and gladly pay for it.  The 2 Billion Dollars in lost revenue will surely come back - and then some.

  Got purpose

Posted at 06:30 PM in Branding, Communication | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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03/22/2013

Remarkable products should be built from the inside out.

Every year on my birthday, my mother-in-law gives me a gift card to my favorite beer store.  Yes, I married well.  This year, I began my annual shopping spree at Portland, Maine's RSVP Discount Beverage.  
 
Down one of the micro-brew aisles, among the dozens of brown bottles on the top shelf, was a tall, pink ceramic bottle with a name every bit as remarkable as the bottle itself: Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale.
 
Voodoo 2The greatest minds in marketing have said that for a product to compete in a crowded market, it needs to stand out from the crowd; it needs to be visibly different; it needs to be remarkable. The Rogue Ale company - the maker of Voodoo Doughnut, absolutely nailed "remarkable" with the bottle.  
I'd never seen a painted pink beer bottle before - it stood out like a Purple Cow in a field of Holsteins - so much so, that I couldn't not buy it. 
 
My expectations were high - when I returned home, I put the bottle in the refrigerator to get it to the perfect drinking temperature.  When I tasted the beer, it was far less than remarkable.  Now, I realize that taste is a matter of taste, and I'm sure there are a lot of people out there that are big fans of Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale, but I'm not one of them.  There was nothing that I wanted to remember about the taste, and I surely wasn't going to sell others on buying the beer.
 
The point is this:
If you're going to make yourself remarkable; if you're going to shout louder than everyone else in the crowd, you need to be sure that you can back it up with substance.  If your product can't live up to the hype, you can be hurting your brand and reputation.  
 
When you make your product remarkable, do it from the  inside-out.  Focus on creating a great product and a great experience, before you build a great package.
 
What products have you bought,  that were remarkable inside as well as outside?   
 
Iphone box
 

Posted at 08:00 AM in Branding, Product, Reputation | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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03/20/2013

3 Steps for Customer-focused Product Names

Have you ever been completely fooled by a product name?  You think it's one thing, only to find out it's something completely different?
 
I was in Indianapolis recently, and as a Minor League baseball fan, I decided to check out Victory Field, the beautiful home of the Indianapolis Indians.  The Indians are a Triple-A affiliate of a Major League team.  
 
Indianapolis is a four-and-a-half-hour drive from the City of Cleveland, Ohio, and Cleveland is home to Major League Cleveland Indians.  Therefore,  I naturally assumed that the Indianapolis Indians were the AAA farm team of the Cleveland Indians.
 
But... I was wrong.  
 
Victory fieldThe Indians aren't affiliated with the Indians; the Indians are affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I know... I didn't get it, either.
 
When a product name confuses the customer, bad stuff can happen.  
 
How would you like to be the parent who promised their children that they'd take them to an Indian's minor league game, only to find out that the team on the field is actually the Pirates?  
 
When naming a product, give it a name that will make sense, and set clear expectations for the customer.  While there are plenty of sound tips for naming products, I'd like to focus on three specific steps that can most impact the customer experience.
 
Choose a name that accurately defines the product.
If you're the Pirates, call yourself the Pirates.  Don't call  yourself the Indians.  The customer should know what the customer is buying, and the product name shouldn't prevent that.
 
Choose a name that describes the benefits of the product.
A good name describes the results that customer receives from using the product.  (Remember the marketing adage, "Customers don't buy 1/4 inch drill bits; they buy 1/4 inch holes.")  A favorite examples of the benefits-oriented name is Leggs -  the pantyhose introduced in 1969 by Hanes.  Woman didn't want hosiery; they wanted the legs that resulted from wearing the hosiery.
 
Choose a name that will make sense to the customer; not the product designer.
Do you remember the Ford Edsel?  Considered one of the greatest product and marketing failures in the history of the automobile, the Edsel was named after the son of Henry Ford.  Critics said the car wasn't attractive enough to sell, but the name certainly didn't help.  While it meant something to the company's founder, it had no meaning for the customer.  When you name a product, do it for the customer; not for yourself.
 
Name your products from the customer's point of view; a well-chosen name can impact the customer experience, as well as the success of the product.  
 
What are some of the more successful product names that you can remember, and why?
 
  Leggs
 
    

Posted at 08:00 AM in Best Practices, Branding, Marketing Best Practices, Product | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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03/05/2013

3 Steps that will make your message memorable.

There's a sign in Big Sky Bread Company in Portland, Maine.  The sign says:

"PLEASE PRACTICE PANINI PATIENCE.  Our grilled sandwiches require slightly longer to prepare...  We greatly appreciate your understanding."

The message could have been delivered reasonably enough by the second sentence.  So why include the first?

The first sentence takes a mundane message, and transforms it into a verbal vehicle that promotes the Big Sky Bread Company brand in a positive way, through a few carefully-chosen words:

Practice Panini Patience.

Here's what makes the phrase effective:Panini

It's  memorable.
"Panini Patience" consists of  just two words that are not used together very often, because they mean two very different things.  So when they are put together, it's .  And as Daniel Pink says in this article, a counterintuitive phrase gets attention, and stands out.  That which gets attention and stands out, gets remembered and gets repeated.

It's melodic.
"Panini Patience" uses a the power of aliteration.  Using these "P" words together creates a melodic sound that people like repeating and hearing.  And because it's repeatable, your message gets more mileage.  Think of it as free advertising.

It gives the brand 'meaning.'
Patience is a positive virtue.  Patient people are respected.  By  associating the virtue of patience with their product, every time someone says "Panini Patience," the credibility of the brand is reinforced. 

So here's the point:

If you need to communicate something to your customers, take a cue from Big Sky Bread Company.  Make it more than just a message - make it a verbal vehicle that people will want to repeat, enjoy hearing, and reinforce your brand every time.

  Panini Patience

Posted at 08:00 AM in Branding, Communication | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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03/01/2013

Educate, don't sell.

Michael Schrage of the Harvard Business Review wrote a post earlier this week titled "Invest in your Customers more than your Brand."

His message, illustrated by the thinking of Jeff Bezos, is simple:

Customerr reviewsGive your customers information that will be useful to them.  Become their trusted advisor; become their go-to source.  This approach to marketing - providing a continuous stream of useful content - is what will attract customers in our information-rich age.

Pushing your product, or spouting your slogan is like pushing a rope - it's an inefficient use of your energy.

Your focus should not be on creating sales, but on creating customers.  And today, customers are created through the sharing of useful knowledge.

The late Peter Drucker said, "The purpose of a business is to create a customer."  He never said, "The purpose of a business is to create a brand, or to create a sale."

The Point is this:  If you invest your resources in genuinely educating the market place, prospects will come to rely on you for advice.  You'll develop a reputation that will evolve into your brand. 

Invest in educating your market; sales and a brand will become the natural, happy by-product.  

Rope

 

 

 

Posted at 11:13 AM in Best Practices, Branding, Marketing Best Practices | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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10/18/2012

Customer Experience Branding means living up to the expecations you set 100% of the time.

Bwi paper towelCustomer Experience  branding means consistently living up to the expectations that you set  with your customers.

In the restrooms at (BWI), there are signs on the wall that say, "We take pride in the appearance of our facitilities..."

On the wall opposite that sign, was a broken paper towel dispenser. 

When publicly  setting expectations, don't ever not deliver on them.

In my prior visits to BWI's restrooms, they indeed displayed their pride in appearance.  Perhaps this time was just an anomoly.  But an anomoly for me may have been the first impression for another customer, and therefore, one that painted an entirely different picture about the BWI brand and reputation.

The point is this:

When you publicly set expectations with your customers, do whatever it takes to live up to them.  Do whatever it takes, to prevent the anomolies from happening.  Be reliable, and be consistent.

Sign at bwi restroom

 

Posted at 12:09 PM in Branding, Customer Experience, Reputation | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

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09/06/2012

The Power of Bold - First Impressions Still Matter.

A few months ago, I was walking down Mulberry Street in New York's "Little Italy."  I looked across the street, and the words on the big red awning grabbed me by the shoulders, and shook me:

"Best Cannoli on Planet Earth."

Mt WashingtonI don't normally eat cannolis, but that's not the point.   These were the best on the entire planet!    How could I not go inside and try one? 

The bold statement caught my attention.

On September 6, 2012, 368 miles north of Mulberry Street, twenty new U.S. citizens were scheduled to receive their official citizenship in a cermony at the top of Mount Washington - the highest mountain peak in the Northeast quadrant of the United States.  To be granted citizenship from this vantage point, with a panoramic view of your new country laid out before you, is a bold statement - far more bold than being granted citizenship inside a windowless court room.

A bold introduction can command attention.

How well do you gain the attention of your customers?  How bold are your introductions?  Do they grab your customers' attention like a brilliant sunrise? Are your statements take on a life of their own?  Are they being re-stated, and shared by your customers with other customers?

Be bold.  But just be sure that you can back up your boldness.

Especially if you plan on selling more than one cannoli. Best Cannolies on Planet Earth

 

Posted at 08:01 AM in Branding, Communication, Marketing Best Practices | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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06/15/2012

Data, Trust and Building your Brand: Connecting the Dots

The question was recently asked on the Focus forum:

"What roles does a database play in building a Brand?"

Customer dataBefore identifying database initiatives, I'll clarify what I mean by "database":

I'm NOT talking about a database in terms of a raw list of customers or prospects.

I AM talking about a database in terms of a Customer Information System, in which we've captured and manage customer information (demographic information and behavioral information).

Now, on to the thing that we want to build - the BRAND.
A big characteristic of a successful Brand is TRUST. People become loyal to a brand, because they trust the Brand (actually, they're trusting the company behind the brand).

So, we want the people in the market (aka the Contacts in our Database) to Trust us.

We can build Trust by engaging with customers and prospects in a way that THEY find RELEVENT, PERSONALIZED and TIMELY for them, based on who they are as individuals.

So, how can a database help us do that?

We define our customers and prospects through data comprised of purchase patterns, expressed preferences, responses to campaigns and prior engagements. And then we deliver different messages, engagements and offers to different Contacts, based on their unique data-defined characteristics. If done well, you’re messaging/engagements will resonate with the Contacts; they'll feel like you know them, you understand them, and they'll begin to trust you.

So, if you keep a fresh, current, well-managed database with the right data defining each customer, and if you use that data to communicate, engage and transact in very personalized, relevant ways for each customer, they'll trust you more and more. And in the process, you'll be building a Trustworthy Brand.

Trust

Posted at 01:22 PM in Branding, CRM, Customer Segmentation, Marketing Best Practices | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

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