Just a couple hours ago, I was a dinner guest at Dazzling Restaurant & Bar on King St. W in Toronto - the illustrious theatre district. Dazzling brings an interesting fusion to several Far East dining styles. From Dim Sum to Sushi, from Pad Thai to Salt & Pepper Shrimp, the creations at Dazzling were just that - dazzling.
It's easy to see how deciding to brand yourselves Dazzling could be a challenge waiting to happen. However, in this particular instance, it actually holds true. The decor is enchanting, the service attentive and welcoming. But the food - the food is what's truly dazzling about this restaurant.
As a long-time fan of ordering a salad and then select choices from the appetizer menu, Dazzling didn't let me down. And didn't let down my dining companion - one of the fussiest eaters I have ever had the pleasure of dining with. Everything from the salad and appetizer menu just sang of the care taken in the kitchen to bring these delectables to table.
The frontage of the restaurant doesn't give away a hint of the dazzlingness inside - even though the theatre district and its ever present lightshow might overshadow the concept of anything else being dazzling. Living up to the brand promise - and for me a restaurant is about the experience and the food - that's what Dazzling actually accomplishes. The smoked salmon avocado salad is positively genius, the detail of delivering a bowl of magnificently tender, warm edamame, and attentive staff that is just there when you need them - everything was what the brand promised.
Congratulations to Dave and his team for putting together a dining experience that makes a marketer (who was quite skeptical that anything deserved the brand Dazzling) get excited about how to take the elements of a word and turn it into something that tastes just as dazzling as promised.
And that's what good marketing is all about - keeping the promise that your brand offers. (And notice please Dave, that I never said a word about the creme brulee. . .)
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Canada - The brand outside your window
Happy Canada Day everyone! A celebration of the country where 89% of the residents believe we live in the best country in the world, according to the Globe and Mail. And a country which has regularly discussed our self-identity and whether we even have one.
I am fortunate to live in a part of Canada where I can cross the border into the US at several points without much more than a short drive. As such, I do speaking engagements in the US and hear from our American friends who live close to the border on how they perceive their Canadian neighbours.
I've always thought we were seen as beer-drinking, funny, polite people. Let's face it, some of the best things to be exported to the US are our beer and our comedians. And there's no doubt we have excellent manners, when taken as whole. However, I found an interesting comment to be recurring in my conversations during American speaking gigs; apparently Canadians are just not worldly.
Not worldly. Hmm. So having the safest, most successful banking industry in the world doesn't matter. Being an upstanding member of the United Nations who regularly is called up to bat in international conflict isn't really very telling. And the fact that we have more successful relationships with more countries in the world than anyone else isn't even considered.
What is considered, oddly enough, is that Canada represents, in many American minds, a country of rural residents. If we have so much space and so few people, so few large cities and so little time spent bragging about it, how can we possibly be a world-player?
Thus the flaw of so many branding exercises. What the business owner and managers think is happening outside the window is often very different from what the customer is thinking. There's no question Canadians have talked the concept of our brand (or self-identity if you want to use a more politically-correct term) nearly to death. Our government protects us from American television by legislating a certain number of hours of Canadian programming all in the name of establishing our unique Canadian identity. But it appears that our own self-vision has nothing to do with how other people see us.
How many businesses do you know that believe they are special for one reason and it turns out you buy from them for a completely different one?
I rather liked thinking we had great beer, the largest crop per capita of funny people and always say 'thank you' and 'excuse me'. I don't really like thinking we aren't taken seriously because we aren't worldly. Perhaps it's a comment on how goofy our politicans behave out in public because I can't believe it is a result of a general behaviour, not in our impressive, multi-cultural country.
Who knew the geography would define our brand?
I am fortunate to live in a part of Canada where I can cross the border into the US at several points without much more than a short drive. As such, I do speaking engagements in the US and hear from our American friends who live close to the border on how they perceive their Canadian neighbours.
I've always thought we were seen as beer-drinking, funny, polite people. Let's face it, some of the best things to be exported to the US are our beer and our comedians. And there's no doubt we have excellent manners, when taken as whole. However, I found an interesting comment to be recurring in my conversations during American speaking gigs; apparently Canadians are just not worldly.
Not worldly. Hmm. So having the safest, most successful banking industry in the world doesn't matter. Being an upstanding member of the United Nations who regularly is called up to bat in international conflict isn't really very telling. And the fact that we have more successful relationships with more countries in the world than anyone else isn't even considered.
What is considered, oddly enough, is that Canada represents, in many American minds, a country of rural residents. If we have so much space and so few people, so few large cities and so little time spent bragging about it, how can we possibly be a world-player?
Thus the flaw of so many branding exercises. What the business owner and managers think is happening outside the window is often very different from what the customer is thinking. There's no question Canadians have talked the concept of our brand (or self-identity if you want to use a more politically-correct term) nearly to death. Our government protects us from American television by legislating a certain number of hours of Canadian programming all in the name of establishing our unique Canadian identity. But it appears that our own self-vision has nothing to do with how other people see us.
How many businesses do you know that believe they are special for one reason and it turns out you buy from them for a completely different one?
I rather liked thinking we had great beer, the largest crop per capita of funny people and always say 'thank you' and 'excuse me'. I don't really like thinking we aren't taken seriously because we aren't worldly. Perhaps it's a comment on how goofy our politicans behave out in public because I can't believe it is a result of a general behaviour, not in our impressive, multi-cultural country.
Who knew the geography would define our brand?
Friday, November 21, 2008
Smart recession survival
Small business owners can see recession two ways. One where they sit in fear and one where they take advantage and stay ahead of the pack.
I suppose it's a natural survival tactic to hold everything close, keep it safe - particularly your money. But if you let fear govern your business decisions, you simply may not survive.
Recessionary times are when the smart survive and the unique get noticed.
Smart companies recognize marketing as a revenue generator, not a cost centre. They don't immediately cut their marketing budget. They get smarter about how the money is used. Mass communication is replaced with targeted communication. Interaction with the customer is increased so they stay front-of-mind.
Unless you are in a luxury market, your customers still need or want your products. Make sure your products and services are priced to reflect market tolerance. Surviving recession isn't about lining your pockets, it's about survival.
Get creative about how you reach your customers. Surprise them with where they find you and what you are telling them. Small business messages have historically been very ego-centric. You have to become customer-centric to make it through tough times (actually you should be customer-centric all the time, but it's even more important now). Standard tactics won't be enough.
And tighten up your marketing spend. That doesn't mean cut the budget, it means eliminate the chaff and be efficient with the money you have. If a tactic isn't bringing a return, then change the tactic. But remember when you are measuring the success of your tactics that it isn't just about the immediate return. It's about developing a relationship with your customer. If you're getting inquiries or website hits but no actual buying, then your tactic has done its job. Marketing's purpose is to bring customers to you, it is the job of the sales team to actually make the sale.
The best weapon you have in recession is a good data base of your customers. This will help you deliver personalized attention at the marketing level. You can gather a good data base through a contest with a small survey as part of the entry form. The contest creates traffic, either to your website or your place of business, and while your customers have a chance to win so do you with the information you gather. Variable data printing isn't only for big companies these days. It's affordable to businesses of all sizes.
Develop a referral program. This is common place in the financial services industry but is functional for all types of business. Your best advertising is word-of-mouth (whether it's traditional word-of-mouth or through social media) and if you can get your customers talking, you're a step ahead. And if your referral program is strong enough, they'll definitely start talking.
Above all, don't try to manage your marketing on your own. You're in the business you're in because that's what you are good at. Don't try to be good at everything - no one can manage that. Call in the specialists to really get your marketing budget working for you. But make sure they are trained and experienced. Just owning some desktop publishing software doesn't make someone a marketing specialist.
Small businesses can be agile. That's a great advantage over big business. Be ready to change at a moment's notice - whether it's your product list, your audience base or marketing tactics.
I suppose it's a natural survival tactic to hold everything close, keep it safe - particularly your money. But if you let fear govern your business decisions, you simply may not survive.
Recessionary times are when the smart survive and the unique get noticed.
Smart companies recognize marketing as a revenue generator, not a cost centre. They don't immediately cut their marketing budget. They get smarter about how the money is used. Mass communication is replaced with targeted communication. Interaction with the customer is increased so they stay front-of-mind.
Unless you are in a luxury market, your customers still need or want your products. Make sure your products and services are priced to reflect market tolerance. Surviving recession isn't about lining your pockets, it's about survival.
Get creative about how you reach your customers. Surprise them with where they find you and what you are telling them. Small business messages have historically been very ego-centric. You have to become customer-centric to make it through tough times (actually you should be customer-centric all the time, but it's even more important now). Standard tactics won't be enough.
And tighten up your marketing spend. That doesn't mean cut the budget, it means eliminate the chaff and be efficient with the money you have. If a tactic isn't bringing a return, then change the tactic. But remember when you are measuring the success of your tactics that it isn't just about the immediate return. It's about developing a relationship with your customer. If you're getting inquiries or website hits but no actual buying, then your tactic has done its job. Marketing's purpose is to bring customers to you, it is the job of the sales team to actually make the sale.
The best weapon you have in recession is a good data base of your customers. This will help you deliver personalized attention at the marketing level. You can gather a good data base through a contest with a small survey as part of the entry form. The contest creates traffic, either to your website or your place of business, and while your customers have a chance to win so do you with the information you gather. Variable data printing isn't only for big companies these days. It's affordable to businesses of all sizes.
Develop a referral program. This is common place in the financial services industry but is functional for all types of business. Your best advertising is word-of-mouth (whether it's traditional word-of-mouth or through social media) and if you can get your customers talking, you're a step ahead. And if your referral program is strong enough, they'll definitely start talking.
Above all, don't try to manage your marketing on your own. You're in the business you're in because that's what you are good at. Don't try to be good at everything - no one can manage that. Call in the specialists to really get your marketing budget working for you. But make sure they are trained and experienced. Just owning some desktop publishing software doesn't make someone a marketing specialist.
Small businesses can be agile. That's a great advantage over big business. Be ready to change at a moment's notice - whether it's your product list, your audience base or marketing tactics.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Part II - Be careful how you say hello
Last week, I took a look at the dangers to your brand that a badly handled dismissal or layoff can create. This week, I'd like to spend a moment with how ignoring the importance of your brand when hiring new staff can have long term effects.
The brand outline is rarely one of the things that is contained in the welcome package for an employee (and some companies don't even have a welcome package and, okay, they don't have a brand outline either). New staff learn about the human resources policies, benefits packages and history of the company. But there is an absence of indoctrination into the brand and the importance of upholding it.
Lots of senior management believe that upholding the brand is the duty of the marketing department but in reality it's the responsibility of everyone who works at the company.
Basic brand ideas, such as the appropriate font for emails, can be shared with new staff easily. I've lost count of the number of emails I have received from customer service staff using wonky fonts. And the language in emails needs a certain tone depending on your business and your brand. There's a big difference in how the staff talks and writes at Virgin Mobile compared to a stuffy insurance company.
And then there's the evil creature - the PowerPoint presentation. When staff outside the marketing department are called on to do a presentation, their imaginations run wild. Colours, images and language that have nothing to do with the brand creep in; no one stops them because, as I mentioned, there is a belief that brand protection is the job of the marketing department. Heaven forbid one of these presentations gets out of the building and in front of the customer. Any strong brand presence is whittled away.
Your staff needs to be engaged with the brand and have enough knowledge of what it represents to uphold it. This includes not just the visual and verbal entities mentioned above, but the philosophy of the brand as well. Companies who have brand support throughout their staff are strong companies. And they're believable companies because their message never falters.
The brand outline is rarely one of the things that is contained in the welcome package for an employee (and some companies don't even have a welcome package and, okay, they don't have a brand outline either). New staff learn about the human resources policies, benefits packages and history of the company. But there is an absence of indoctrination into the brand and the importance of upholding it.
Lots of senior management believe that upholding the brand is the duty of the marketing department but in reality it's the responsibility of everyone who works at the company.
Basic brand ideas, such as the appropriate font for emails, can be shared with new staff easily. I've lost count of the number of emails I have received from customer service staff using wonky fonts. And the language in emails needs a certain tone depending on your business and your brand. There's a big difference in how the staff talks and writes at Virgin Mobile compared to a stuffy insurance company.
And then there's the evil creature - the PowerPoint presentation. When staff outside the marketing department are called on to do a presentation, their imaginations run wild. Colours, images and language that have nothing to do with the brand creep in; no one stops them because, as I mentioned, there is a belief that brand protection is the job of the marketing department. Heaven forbid one of these presentations gets out of the building and in front of the customer. Any strong brand presence is whittled away.
Your staff needs to be engaged with the brand and have enough knowledge of what it represents to uphold it. This includes not just the visual and verbal entities mentioned above, but the philosophy of the brand as well. Companies who have brand support throughout their staff are strong companies. And they're believable companies because their message never falters.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Be careful how you say good-bye
Companies expend a great deal of time and money protecting their brand in the public, but for many companies it is their internal behaviours that are the most dangerous. How new staff are greeted, and existing staff let go, have multitudes of impact on the perception of the brand.
A recent example is, of course, the automotive industry in Ontario. The lay-offs abound and some brand damage has been delivered to General Motors and Ford, among others. The important thing here is these companies put effort into minimizing the public effects of the lay-offs as best they can with great buy-out packages, paid new training for laid-off workers, minimizing impact through attrition and negotiating support with the government.
A disgruntled laid-off or dismissed employee has a huge impact on the brand. They all have families that are part of the experience, feeling the anger, humiliation and fear right along with the worker. And all those family members have extended families and friends that hear about the issues. All told, one worker can impact the brand attitude with over 50 people.
Companies in the financial services industry have varying levels of attention to how they treat workers. Many of these companies in Canada are out-sourcing support departments. (The financial services industry in the U.S. is just another story all together) How these out-sourcings are handled impacts the brand.
A positive example is Sun Life Financial. They undertook to save costs against their budget by outsourcing their cafeteria, fitness staff and print departments. There was fear among the employees as the negotiations took place, but Sun Life Financial minimized the impact with regular communication and assurances of protection for existing employees. When the outsourcing was implemented, the staff in each department were offered the opportunity to stay, have benefits and keep their seniority.
A not so great example is the out-sourcing of the mail room at Aviva Canada. The staff were informed of the negotiations last November and were promised protection. Suddenly just before Labour Day, a meeting of the mail room staff was called and they were all informed the department had been outsourced and their jobs at Aviva Canada would end in four days. So much for even an act of courtesy like two-weeks notice. Sure, they gave them a buy-out package including the two-weeks in lieu of notice (required by law), but these people were suddenly out of work - after understanding they would be protected. The next day, the outsourcing company, Pitney Bowes, arrived and offered the staff their jobs back, but at $10,000 a year less, with no seniority, no accumulated holidays and a three-month probation period. And they had one-day to decide if they would commit to this new job.
Aviva Canada was most pointed in informing the mail room staff that they would now be considered outside employees and would be treated as such if they should apply for a job with Aviva in the future. This after some of the staff had been with the company for nine years.
Now a couple of nasty brand things happened here. Aviva Canada's brand got nailed as being untrustworthy, secretive and uncaring. Pitney Bowes gets nailed as being cheap, uncaring and advantage-takers. It's not about the money and the 30% cut in pay most of the workers experienced, it is about decency and dignity. Giving these people only one day to decide if their future was tied to an advantage-taking company or tied to unemployment in a potential recession, fear would certainly win out. Perhaps this is good business strategy - trained workers at 30% lower cost - but it isn't even close to good brand strategy.
And if these companies think for one moment that the staff of the mail room didn't share their experience with their families, they are not thinking clearly. And what the family members do with the information - well, the company has no control over that.
Next week - be careful how you say hello. Yet another brand damaging experience.
A recent example is, of course, the automotive industry in Ontario. The lay-offs abound and some brand damage has been delivered to General Motors and Ford, among others. The important thing here is these companies put effort into minimizing the public effects of the lay-offs as best they can with great buy-out packages, paid new training for laid-off workers, minimizing impact through attrition and negotiating support with the government.
A disgruntled laid-off or dismissed employee has a huge impact on the brand. They all have families that are part of the experience, feeling the anger, humiliation and fear right along with the worker. And all those family members have extended families and friends that hear about the issues. All told, one worker can impact the brand attitude with over 50 people.
Companies in the financial services industry have varying levels of attention to how they treat workers. Many of these companies in Canada are out-sourcing support departments. (The financial services industry in the U.S. is just another story all together) How these out-sourcings are handled impacts the brand.
A positive example is Sun Life Financial. They undertook to save costs against their budget by outsourcing their cafeteria, fitness staff and print departments. There was fear among the employees as the negotiations took place, but Sun Life Financial minimized the impact with regular communication and assurances of protection for existing employees. When the outsourcing was implemented, the staff in each department were offered the opportunity to stay, have benefits and keep their seniority.
A not so great example is the out-sourcing of the mail room at Aviva Canada. The staff were informed of the negotiations last November and were promised protection. Suddenly just before Labour Day, a meeting of the mail room staff was called and they were all informed the department had been outsourced and their jobs at Aviva Canada would end in four days. So much for even an act of courtesy like two-weeks notice. Sure, they gave them a buy-out package including the two-weeks in lieu of notice (required by law), but these people were suddenly out of work - after understanding they would be protected. The next day, the outsourcing company, Pitney Bowes, arrived and offered the staff their jobs back, but at $10,000 a year less, with no seniority, no accumulated holidays and a three-month probation period. And they had one-day to decide if they would commit to this new job.
Aviva Canada was most pointed in informing the mail room staff that they would now be considered outside employees and would be treated as such if they should apply for a job with Aviva in the future. This after some of the staff had been with the company for nine years.
Now a couple of nasty brand things happened here. Aviva Canada's brand got nailed as being untrustworthy, secretive and uncaring. Pitney Bowes gets nailed as being cheap, uncaring and advantage-takers. It's not about the money and the 30% cut in pay most of the workers experienced, it is about decency and dignity. Giving these people only one day to decide if their future was tied to an advantage-taking company or tied to unemployment in a potential recession, fear would certainly win out. Perhaps this is good business strategy - trained workers at 30% lower cost - but it isn't even close to good brand strategy.
And if these companies think for one moment that the staff of the mail room didn't share their experience with their families, they are not thinking clearly. And what the family members do with the information - well, the company has no control over that.
Next week - be careful how you say hello. Yet another brand damaging experience.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Do your homework
Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party have offered up such a terrific example of what can happen when you don't do your homework, that I couldn't resist. Their widely publicized plan, The Green Shift, may well get its time in court as it flies in the face of trademark, copyright and intellectual property laws.
Green Shift, a company in Toronto, has been around for approximately 10 years. So even if they never trademarked the company name, there can't be any question that it belongs to them. Perhaps the most irritating part of the story is that the Liberals were aware of this company and went ahead anyway. There is something grossly arrogant about thinking you won't get caught.
For small business, it is key to do your homework about all aspects of marketing your business. If you are incorporating, you must do a name search but when you are a sole proprietor, you can get away without one. But to save face and potential court and rebranding costs, you better make sure no one else is using the name.
Imagine the embarassment when your new business customers are suddenly faced with a new business name; and even more so when the explanation is that you didn't do your homework. What does this do to your business' credibility?
Keep in mind that your customers do business with you because they have developed trust in you. If you have so little respect for your business that you don't do your homework, why should they have respect for it?
And doing your homework isn't limited to just your company name or slogan. It pertains to how you market yourself. Learn some of the basics of marketing law. And then, for goodness sake, abide by them. Just because you see big companies flying in the face of good marketing laws, doesn't mean it is the right answer for small business. They can afford (apparently) the fines and loss of face. Small business can't.
Learn what your competitors are doing and saying. Then stay away from those things. Not only do you eliminate the risk of a lawsuit regarding intellectual property or copyright, but you also have to spend some time thinking about how you are unique. This helps you stand out from your competition because you aren't using their words and actions.
Don't take the lazy way out. Have the same passion for your homework as you do for making sales.
Green Shift, a company in Toronto, has been around for approximately 10 years. So even if they never trademarked the company name, there can't be any question that it belongs to them. Perhaps the most irritating part of the story is that the Liberals were aware of this company and went ahead anyway. There is something grossly arrogant about thinking you won't get caught.
For small business, it is key to do your homework about all aspects of marketing your business. If you are incorporating, you must do a name search but when you are a sole proprietor, you can get away without one. But to save face and potential court and rebranding costs, you better make sure no one else is using the name.
Imagine the embarassment when your new business customers are suddenly faced with a new business name; and even more so when the explanation is that you didn't do your homework. What does this do to your business' credibility?
Keep in mind that your customers do business with you because they have developed trust in you. If you have so little respect for your business that you don't do your homework, why should they have respect for it?
And doing your homework isn't limited to just your company name or slogan. It pertains to how you market yourself. Learn some of the basics of marketing law. And then, for goodness sake, abide by them. Just because you see big companies flying in the face of good marketing laws, doesn't mean it is the right answer for small business. They can afford (apparently) the fines and loss of face. Small business can't.
Learn what your competitors are doing and saying. Then stay away from those things. Not only do you eliminate the risk of a lawsuit regarding intellectual property or copyright, but you also have to spend some time thinking about how you are unique. This helps you stand out from your competition because you aren't using their words and actions.
Don't take the lazy way out. Have the same passion for your homework as you do for making sales.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Perception is Reality - Finally proof!
For years, I've been coaching clients through the maze of their customers' perceptions and how they relate to the business' reality. I've also written periodically about audience perceptions in these blog pages.
The bottom line is: your customer's perception about your business is truly their reality about your business. Based on your marketing tactics do they perceive you as trustworthy, reliable, quality? Their perceptions are built from the quality of your paper choices, the colours and language styles you use, their personal experience with you and the myriad of other things that represent your brand.
This week The New York Times, that most august of publications, ran a story discussing two studies into consumers' preferences in wine. Within the article I discovered valuable proof that perception is indeed reality.
In one study, researchers scanned the brains of 21 volunteers as they tasted small samples of wine. They scanned the part of the brain where flavour responses apparently register. The subjects were only told the price of the wine. Without their knowledge, they tasted one wine twice but were given two different prices for that wine. Invariably, they preferred the one they thought was more expensive.
So now we can safely say perception is not a small trigger. If brain activity can actually be measured and responses changed because of perception, small businesses need to be ever more aware of the perception they are delivering. Professional marketers have been aware of this for centuries, but most small business owners aren't professional marketers.
Perhaps the most marvelous example of perception being reality is Cervantes' Man of La Mancha. In this story, Don Quixote is viewed as a dangerous madman because he sees the world differently from those around him. But his perception of the world is truly his reality. Where everyone else sees a barmaid prostitute, Quixote sees a chaste, saintly woman. The strength of his belief eventually sways a couple of people to believe they are what he sees.
Unfortunately, for small businesses there isn't time to convince your customer of your reality if it differs from their perception. So the key is to control their perceptions right from the start. You might be proud of your business, but do your customers see that in your marketing tactics? You may believe you have a valuable, unique product or service, but do your customers see that?
Customers make purchases with their heart and their head. We know the emotional purchase is almost always based on perception, but now we have proof that perception is also affecting the brain.
The bottom line is: your customer's perception about your business is truly their reality about your business. Based on your marketing tactics do they perceive you as trustworthy, reliable, quality? Their perceptions are built from the quality of your paper choices, the colours and language styles you use, their personal experience with you and the myriad of other things that represent your brand.
This week The New York Times, that most august of publications, ran a story discussing two studies into consumers' preferences in wine. Within the article I discovered valuable proof that perception is indeed reality.
In one study, researchers scanned the brains of 21 volunteers as they tasted small samples of wine. They scanned the part of the brain where flavour responses apparently register. The subjects were only told the price of the wine. Without their knowledge, they tasted one wine twice but were given two different prices for that wine. Invariably, they preferred the one they thought was more expensive.
So now we can safely say perception is not a small trigger. If brain activity can actually be measured and responses changed because of perception, small businesses need to be ever more aware of the perception they are delivering. Professional marketers have been aware of this for centuries, but most small business owners aren't professional marketers.
Perhaps the most marvelous example of perception being reality is Cervantes' Man of La Mancha. In this story, Don Quixote is viewed as a dangerous madman because he sees the world differently from those around him. But his perception of the world is truly his reality. Where everyone else sees a barmaid prostitute, Quixote sees a chaste, saintly woman. The strength of his belief eventually sways a couple of people to believe they are what he sees.
Unfortunately, for small businesses there isn't time to convince your customer of your reality if it differs from their perception. So the key is to control their perceptions right from the start. You might be proud of your business, but do your customers see that in your marketing tactics? You may believe you have a valuable, unique product or service, but do your customers see that?
Customers make purchases with their heart and their head. We know the emotional purchase is almost always based on perception, but now we have proof that perception is also affecting the brain.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The little card tells a big story
I've been seeing a lot of small and rural businesses' business cards lately. You can really tell the ones that have been designed and printed on home computers. You can also tell the ones that have been designed and printed professionally.
I have to guess that the businesses putting their face forward with business cards designed on their home computers and printers just don't realize the message this sends to their potential customers.
So here's the scoop:
Your business card is your first contact with a good portion of your customer base. You hand them over at networking groups and at every meeting you attend. They hang around in people's day-books, pockets and in weird places in their cars. You should never underestimate the value of great looking business card.
Unfortunately, too many rural and small business owners think the business card is a throw-away and not worth an investment. Think again. Your business card tells your story, represents your brand and has more staying power than almost any other kind of printed marketing.
So what message do you think an unprofessional, flimsy business card relays?
What it says is, "I don't really care about my business. I probably won't be around in six months so don't worry about losing my business card. I don't have enough pride in my business to bother about looking professional or reliable."
I've still got business cards from people I met 10 years ago. And you can bet the quality of the card reminds me why I have done business with them, or why not.
Your business card sets the tone for all the rest of your marketing - your stationery, your print ads, your website.
So say, for instance, your customer base is highly educated people with a disposable income. If your business card is messy, cluttered and on cheap paper, do you think this customer base is going to trust you?
It isn't rocket science. Get your business card designed and printed so you can be proud to show it off. You'll find your customers believe in you faster and you'll also find yourself being more excited to hand your cards out to others.
I have to guess that the businesses putting their face forward with business cards designed on their home computers and printers just don't realize the message this sends to their potential customers.
So here's the scoop:
Your business card is your first contact with a good portion of your customer base. You hand them over at networking groups and at every meeting you attend. They hang around in people's day-books, pockets and in weird places in their cars. You should never underestimate the value of great looking business card.
Unfortunately, too many rural and small business owners think the business card is a throw-away and not worth an investment. Think again. Your business card tells your story, represents your brand and has more staying power than almost any other kind of printed marketing.
So what message do you think an unprofessional, flimsy business card relays?
What it says is, "I don't really care about my business. I probably won't be around in six months so don't worry about losing my business card. I don't have enough pride in my business to bother about looking professional or reliable."
I've still got business cards from people I met 10 years ago. And you can bet the quality of the card reminds me why I have done business with them, or why not.
Your business card sets the tone for all the rest of your marketing - your stationery, your print ads, your website.
So say, for instance, your customer base is highly educated people with a disposable income. If your business card is messy, cluttered and on cheap paper, do you think this customer base is going to trust you?
It isn't rocket science. Get your business card designed and printed so you can be proud to show it off. You'll find your customers believe in you faster and you'll also find yourself being more excited to hand your cards out to others.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Burger King versus Wendy's - who has made the biggest mistakes
Only two fast food franchises actually stand out as knowing what they are doing. McDonald's and Tim Horton's. Even when McDonald's changed their slogan and poor Ronald disappeared, you still knew it was a McDonald's ad. And they've stuck by their new branding for a long time, even in the face of criticism. Tim Horton's has handled their brand so well that you know you're watching or listening to a Tim Horton's ad by some magic combination of music, tone and relationships without really being able to define how you knew.
And then there are Burger King and Wendy's. Two very different, dreadful accidents of marketing.
Wendy's fell prey to a lack of planning (at least that is my assumption since I really can't see Dave Thomas approving the messes that have been produced in the last few years) and to hitching their brand to the all too delicate thing that is a human being. I had great respect for Wendy's marketing when Dave Thomas was at the helm. He was personable. He looked and spoke like everyone's favourite uncle. But since Dave's passing, Wendy's has been a curious mix.
This is not necessarily the fault of the advertising agency handling their work. Sometimes the creative can only be as good as the creative brief the client provides. I'll never know who holds responsibility for the current fearful campaign. But seriously, who is the audience they are trying to reach with ridiculous red braided wigs on unlikely candidates? Sure men in their early 20s love humiliation as a form of humour, but is this truly the audience? And while humiliation might be funny to some, it is only funny when it happens to someone else. So where is the connection the audience is supposed to make with the characters in the ads? And when I look at the patrons at Wendy's, I'm not seeing a lot of 20-something men.
Business brands need to be careful about hanging their hat on human beings. Humans are fragile machines that will eventually break down, sometimes beyond repair. If there is no other choice but to have the owner (or heaven forbid, his children) be the face of the brand, make sure there is a succession plan in place, not just for the business but the brand.
And then there is Burger King. If there is nothing else to measure the dysfunction of their marketing, there is certainly the impression that more Burger King's have closed in my adult life than have opened. And in the ones in my area that have survived, you could shoot a cannon into them and never hit anyone.
Again, I preface this with the disclaimer that it may not be the agency's fault. blah, blah, blah, see above.
Biggest question - what defines Burger King's brand? They have tried so many different tactics, personae and music riffs over the last decade. There has been no consistency, no staying power with any of the brand representations. Pick something for heaven's sake, and then stick to it. It would be nice if you didn't choose to frighten people (the King Mask character peaking in windows and suddenly being discovered in your bed was the stuff of horror films). And maybe stick by your marketing team, instead of ditching them when sales go down. Tim Horton's has that figured out. They've been working with the same people for over 10 years. And it shows in the calibre of their marketing and in the size of their audience.
I may be dating myself but "have it your way" had some legs. Still think it has some legs. Especially in this era of "what's in it for me".
So two brand lessons here, no matter what size your business may be. 1) Don't hang the brand on a human but if you need to, have a succession plan. 2) Make some good decisions about what your brand is, and then stick to it. Should sales go down, do some research to find out why before you blame the marketers and rush in to change everything.
And then there are Burger King and Wendy's. Two very different, dreadful accidents of marketing.
Wendy's fell prey to a lack of planning (at least that is my assumption since I really can't see Dave Thomas approving the messes that have been produced in the last few years) and to hitching their brand to the all too delicate thing that is a human being. I had great respect for Wendy's marketing when Dave Thomas was at the helm. He was personable. He looked and spoke like everyone's favourite uncle. But since Dave's passing, Wendy's has been a curious mix.
This is not necessarily the fault of the advertising agency handling their work. Sometimes the creative can only be as good as the creative brief the client provides. I'll never know who holds responsibility for the current fearful campaign. But seriously, who is the audience they are trying to reach with ridiculous red braided wigs on unlikely candidates? Sure men in their early 20s love humiliation as a form of humour, but is this truly the audience? And while humiliation might be funny to some, it is only funny when it happens to someone else. So where is the connection the audience is supposed to make with the characters in the ads? And when I look at the patrons at Wendy's, I'm not seeing a lot of 20-something men.
Business brands need to be careful about hanging their hat on human beings. Humans are fragile machines that will eventually break down, sometimes beyond repair. If there is no other choice but to have the owner (or heaven forbid, his children) be the face of the brand, make sure there is a succession plan in place, not just for the business but the brand.
And then there is Burger King. If there is nothing else to measure the dysfunction of their marketing, there is certainly the impression that more Burger King's have closed in my adult life than have opened. And in the ones in my area that have survived, you could shoot a cannon into them and never hit anyone.
Again, I preface this with the disclaimer that it may not be the agency's fault. blah, blah, blah, see above.
Biggest question - what defines Burger King's brand? They have tried so many different tactics, personae and music riffs over the last decade. There has been no consistency, no staying power with any of the brand representations. Pick something for heaven's sake, and then stick to it. It would be nice if you didn't choose to frighten people (the King Mask character peaking in windows and suddenly being discovered in your bed was the stuff of horror films). And maybe stick by your marketing team, instead of ditching them when sales go down. Tim Horton's has that figured out. They've been working with the same people for over 10 years. And it shows in the calibre of their marketing and in the size of their audience.
I may be dating myself but "have it your way" had some legs. Still think it has some legs. Especially in this era of "what's in it for me".
So two brand lessons here, no matter what size your business may be. 1) Don't hang the brand on a human but if you need to, have a succession plan. 2) Make some good decisions about what your brand is, and then stick to it. Should sales go down, do some research to find out why before you blame the marketers and rush in to change everything.
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