Day 1: What the Heck is Branding?
Good morning! We are kicking off Timesaver Tips Week today with a great series about… (drumroll please)… Branding!
Day 1: What the Heck is Branding?
Most people absolutely hate talking about branding. The word is so subjective and the meaning seems to change for each person depending on their experiences. For those of you with zero marketing experience, it seems SO complex and hard to describe.
And just how does branding fit with the “Timesaver” concept? Once your brand is clearly defined, it is much, much easier to make marketing decisions. Is X, Y or Z magazine in alignment with my brand? Yes or no? Decision made.
The easiest way to think about branding is to use the word “brand” in place of branding. Then consider the first use of the word back in the 1850s when ranchers would use a hot piece of metal in a unique shape to permanently mark their animals. Although the brand was stressful to the animals for about 10 minutes, the ownership mark was clearly defined for the rest of their life.
Think about bigger brands in the marketplace and how they implement their brands. Coca-Cola uses exactly the same logo and red color in all of their product packaging, marketing, and promotions. Superbowl commercials might flash the sponsor’s logo several times during the spot, or maybe just at the end. If you analyze those commercials further, you’ll find that the theme was consistent with that company’s marketing philosophy. Okay, well, there might be a couple of exceptions to that rule (can you say puppy monkey baby?!?). But overall, they are generally true to a set group of marketing standards that support their brand.
But just how do you figure out your brand?
Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as picking out a hunk of metal at the blacksmith’s shop!
Creating your brand is pretty simple – once you make a few key decisions (notice we said simple, not easy!).
Let’s start with decision #1: what solution do you provide for your clients/customers? Write out your answer on a piece of paper, type it on Microsoft Word, or make a note on your phone. Do you provide physical products? Are you a consultant? Make sure your list is complete with your entire offering. This is going to be important for tomorrow’s tips.
After you make your list, take a break for at least 4 hours, then come back and refine the list. Are you missing details that would make it crystal clear what you do for your clients? What results are you providing to your client?