Is Your Brand Putting People to Sleep?

June 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Is Your Brand Putting People to Sleep?Just for fun, I decided to take a few minutes to surf through the internet looking for interesting small business promises (better known as the small business tagline).

In just under fifteen minutes, I was able to find the following five brand promises:

1)    We’re #1 in customer service.

2)    We’ll help you succeed.

3)    We’re the best of the best.

4)    We’re not happy unless you’re happy.

5)    We deliver top-quality at bottom dollar prices.

Obviously, these are variations on the same types of brand promises that thousands upon thousands of small business owners are flaunting every day.

And, every single one of them is putting their customers to sleep.

Let’s face it, these brand promises are bland, boring and vague. There’s absolutely nothing about any of these promises that is exceptional or out of the ordinary.

But most problematic is that all of these vague promises are simply what customers expect nowadays.

Like it or not, today’s customer expects top-quality, stellar service and great value.

Why do so many small businesses use lackluster taglines that don’t do a thing for their prospects?

1)    They don’t know any better.

Many small business owners don’t realize the importance of creating a truly unique brand promise to their customers.

Interestingly enough, your business is either going to stand apart or blend in with the crowd. You might as well take control of the situation and make your small business as unique and distinctive as humanly possible.

2)    They imitate their successful competitors.

Many small business owners actually think that copying their more successful competitors is a smart move. Why reinvent the wheel?

Unfortunately, if there is no comparable difference between you and #1, who do you think your customers are going to do business with? It’s a no-brainer.

3)    They don’t put in the effort to create a unique difference.

Creating a unique brand promise takes a good amount of time and effort. It’s definitely not something that you can throw together in a few minutes.

But, it is a task that is essential to the overall success of your small business. It gives you clarity on why you’re different and helps you effectively communicate that difference to your prospects.

So, now it’s time to be honest with yourself.  Are you clinging to a boring, bland small business promise that is putting your customers to sleep? If you are, it’s time to shake things up and make a promise that will cause your prospects to finally sit up and take notice.

Filed Under: branding, shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing Tagged With: , , ,

5 Branding Tips for Creating a Bold Small Business Promise

May 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

5 Branding Tips for Creating a Bold Small Business PromiseMany small business owners mistakenly think that branding is simply about slapping up a well-designed
logo on their website and then waiting around as the sales start pouring in.

Here’s the truth of the matter. A brand isn’t about a logo. It isn’t about the color choices on a website.
And, it isn’t about a mission statement.

A brand is simply a promise that you make to your customers.

And, for your brand to work, you need to create a big, bold promise to your prospects.

Furthermore, your prospects need to experience your small business promise again and again
(and, yes even again), before it takes hold.

But, as a shoestring marketer, you don’t have Starbuck’s marketing budget to launch your
brand promise. Does that mean that you can’t effectively brand your small business? No way.

Even the smallest one-person operation can effectively launch a brand promise in today’s marketplace.

Here are 5 branding tips to keep in mind when designing a bold promise to your potential clients and customers:

1.    Bold brand promises are unique.

Your brand promise can NOT be something that your customers automatically expect today, like “great service” or “quick delivery.” You need to think outside of the box and make a promise that your prospects are not expecting.

2.    Strong brand promises capture the core benefit you provide the consumer.

It’s essential that you identity the main benefit your customers receives when they do business with you. Once you’ve figured that out, you need to wrap your promise around that essential benefit.

3.    Bold brand promises are simple.

You only have three seconds to convey your brand promise to your prospects, so it’s better to be clear than clever. A confused prospect will never make a purchase.

4.    Bold brand promises are consistent.

You’ve got to be steady, reliable and unfailing when delivering your brand promise. If you’re brand is perky, happy and cheerful, then you’re not allowed to get crabby at your customers. Ever.

5.    Bold brand promises constantly reinforce their message.

Once your brand promise takes hold, you need to make sure that every single interaction that you have with your prospects and customers reinforces your brand promise.

If your small business promises some form of “education,” then every single email, sales letter, video, podcast and newsletter should clearly educate your prospect.

So, take the time to figure out what promise you can make to your prospect that offers then a truly unique benefit.  Then, keep that promise simple, consistent and constant. This is how your businesses brand will grow exponentially over time.

I’d love to hear YOUR small business promise below. And make sure to include a link back to your site so that we can experience your promise ourselves!

Filed Under: branding, shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing Tagged With: , ,

Branding Your Small Business Through Your Twitter Profile

December 7, 2010 By 3 Comments

Brand Your Small Business Through Your Twitter ProfileOnce you’ve signed up for a Twitter account, Twitter gives you a few generic backgrounds to use on your Twitter profile page. Unfortunately, using the default Twitter background is the best way to “bore” your followers to death.  (Yawn!) Not to mention that you’re letting an opportunity to brand your small business slip through your fingertips.

If you want to stand apart from your competition (as any small business owner does), then you’ll undoubtedly want to create a unique and customized Twitter profile.

One of the wonderful parts of Twitter is that you’re able to upload your very own customized background. Obviously, there are many benefits for creating, customizing and personalizing a Twitter background for your Twitter account. The best part is that it doesn’t need to be expensive or technically challenging.

However, before we explore how to create your Twitter background, let’s look at why your business would benefit from a customized background.

1.  Business Branding.

Creating a Twitter background that showcases your small business colors, logo and business personality, helps grow and extend your brand.

2. Creativity and Personal Expression.

You have the ability to capture the attention of your prospective clients and customers as soon as they land on your Twitter profile page. Through the use of interesting design, creative graphics and a bit of imagination, you can make a strong statement through your Twitter background.

3. Additional Business Information.

You have the option to add additional information about your small business through the use of a customized background. This is incredibly important since you are only given a 160 character bio. You can choose to add logos, marketing messages, marketing taglines, additional URLs and links to your other social media sites.

It doesn’t matter if you are a Photoshop expert or technically challenged, here are three ways to fully customize your Twitter background:

1.  Do-It-Yourself

If you are handy using a design program like Photoshop, you can design your own Twitter background.  The most important design element to keep in mind is that your image should be approximately 1600 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall. This will allow all browsers and screen resolutions to easily view your Twitter background.

In addition, if you are adding a left-hand column in your Twitter background, you’ll want to ensure that the design is smaller than 225 pixels. This way your column won’t interfere with your center Twitter content.

2) Upload a Free Theme

There are dozens of services that allow you to upload free, semi-customizable themes for your Twitter background. It’s a fairly straight-forward process and you can customize and upload your free theme by using one of the following services:

http://www.MyTweetSpace.com

http://www.TwitrBackgrounds.com

http://www.FreeTwitterDesigner.com

http://www.TweetStyle.com

3) Order a Customized Theme

If you would like a fully, customizable theme you can have one designed, for a fee.  Here are three services that will put together a fully customized Twitter profile for you:

http://www.TwitArt.com

http://www.TweetStyle.com

http://www.TwitrBackgrounds.com

So, if you are going to use Twitter as a marketing tool for your small business, make sure that you add a bit of “bling” to your Twittering efforts!

Filed Under: branding, shoestring marketing tips, small business marketing, social media marketing Tagged With: , , , ,

What the Geeks Can Teach You About Small Business Branding

March 23, 2010 By 10 Comments

Geek SquadAs a small business owner, you’ve undoubtedly come across the concept of branding.

Most likely, you’ve heard that if you want to truly succeed and skyrocket your biz to the top, then you need to create a powerful and memorable brand that your prospects believe in.

The main problem is that most small business owners are confused, overwhelmed and frustrated about the entire branding process.

Is it the creation of a logo? Is it the website? Or, maybe it’s the particular combination of colors used in the sales literature?

While all this is a piece of the branding process, it’s really not embracing the entire concept.

So, what is branding?

According to Bill Chiaravalle, Principal and Creative Director of Brand Navigation, “brands are promises that consumers believe in.” He simplifies the entire branding process down to the fact that if a company has done a good job branding themselves, the consumer will trust them and ultimately develop a strong emotional attachment to them.

I want to introduce you to a company that embraces the branding concept brilliantly. Introducing…The Geek Squad.

The Geek Squad is not, in and of itself, a small business by any means, but they certainly have a lot to teach the small business owner about branding.

Even if your office consists of your kitchen table and you’re the President, Vice-President and your own personal assistant, you can borrow the concepts of The Geek Squad and incorporate them into your own small business.

When you visit the Geek Squad website, it makes an instant impression on you.

Furthermore, you immediately understand what they are promising you. They’re the funny, dedicated “geeks” who understand absolutely everything about computers. They’re the same “geeks” from your math class who knew every answer on the tests and helped you out with your homework. They’re safe, reliable and as smart as it gets.

The Geek Squad understands that branding covers every single aspect of business.

It’s never just about your website or business logo (although that’s part of it). Branding is about creating a feeling and a response in the minds of your clients and customers.

Here Are 10 Ways That The Geek Squad Can Help You Explode Your Own Brand:

1. Company Name

The name of your company is an integral part of the branding process.

You need to ensure that your customers understand who you are and what your represent through your company name.  Obviously, the name “Geek Squad” speaks volumes.

2. Website

Your website needs to offer your prospects a big picture look at your entire brand.

Everything on your site should promote the promise that you are making to your clients and customers.

3. Mission Statement

Your company mission statement should be a natural extension of your brand.

The Geek Squad states, “We’re an army more than 18,000 strong, on a singular mission to rid the world of rogue technology. We’re still oddly dressed, but we’re now oddly dressed and saving the day across the globe.”  Brilliant.

4. Phone Tactics

Yes, branding even entails how you answer the phone.

Think about ways that you can integrate your brand and your business phone.

The Geek Squad doesn’t just “answer the phone.” Instead you are prompted to enter your “top secret pass code” or speak to a Geek Squad Special Agent. The on-hold music consists of a compilation of spy movie theme songs.

5. Dress Code

If you can incorporate your brand into the way that you or your employees dress, this will even add more believability to your brand.

Of course, Geek Squad employees dress in white shirts, dress pants, “geeky” ties and yes, some even flaunt the pocket protector.

6. Tweets

If you’re going to use Twitter as a marketing tool, make sure that you use it as a platform to develop powerful brand awareness regarding your small business.

@GeekSquad tweets daily tips on fixing your computer, removing spyware and other “geeky’ topics that their dedicated customer-base loves.

7. Blog

One of the most important marketing tools for today’s small business is maintaining a blog.

There is no better way to communicate directly with your prospects, customers and clients.  At the Geek Blog, the writers go into depth about geeky technology, geeky facts and geeky jokes.

8. Videos

Have you heard about GeekSquad TV?

That’s the ingenious Geek Squad videos that showcase the intelligence and utter geekiness of these likable employees. Again, their videos continue to drive home the fact that these guys know what they’re doing.

9. The Car You Drive

If you are creative enough, branding can even be a part of the car you drive.

Take a look at the “Geek Mobile,” a compact, little VW emblazoned with the Geek Squad logo. If that doesn’t create brand awareness, I don’t know what would!

10. Consistency

One of the most crucial aspects of branding a small business is that you must be absolutely consistent.

Every single interaction that your customers have must send the same message. You are ultimately creating experiences for your prospects, clients and customers that create trust and build emotional attachments to your company.

So, as you begin the task of building a brand that creates fierce and intense loyalty in your market area, don’t forget about the Geek Squad.

They are branding masters.

Shoestring Marketing Association

Filed Under: branding, small business marketing Tagged With: , ,

Let Your Small Business Personality Shine!

January 26, 2010 By 9 Comments

Let Your Small Business Personality Shine

Last week I was a lucky audience member at an Oprah taping. (And, if you know anything about me, you know that I am a die-hard Oprah fanatic.)

I had purchased the tickets at an auction a few months back and when I called the reservation line, I was given a choice of a few different dates. However, I wasn’t given any information about who would be on the show or what the show was about, so I simply picked the date that fit best with my schedule.

My sister, Alicia, and I drove down to the city, got in line and soon found out that the guest on the show was none other than Adam Lambert. Now, I hate to show my age (and my obvious cluelessness about the world of entertainment), but I really had NO idea who Adam Lambert was.

Of course, the twenty-year old, Adam Lambert groupie standing in line in front of us, was clearly appalled at our lack of education.  Much to her dismay she had to explain to my sister and me that Adam was the Runner-up from the last season of American Idol. She proceeded to show me her T-shirt imprinted with a picture of Adam with his jet-black, wild hair, black eyeliner and unmistaken “glam” look.

Now, I like to think of myself as pretty hip and accepting but, this Adam Lambert was definitely not my style. I think that the black nail polish just threw me for a loop.

Fast forward a few hours later and Oprah calls Adam out to the stage for an interview before he sings his first song.

Well, what can I say? He was absolutely adorable, charming, articulate and incredibly likable. In fact, I really, really LIKED Adam Lambert. Not only that, but when he performed, I was dancing and singing along with the best of the hard-core Adam fans.

After we left the show, my sister and I played his CD on full blast and, I must admit, we’re now big fans. (i.e. if I didn’t have kids, I’d be touring his band.)

The whole, crazy experience made me realize that as much as we avoid “judging a book by its cover,” it happens all the time.

It’s not fair, but prospects are going to make snap judgments the minute they encounter you and your small business. They may judge you on your looks; they may judge you on your gender; they may judge you based on the name of your company.  Your prospects make their judgments based on their own personal interactions with the world, so it’s impossible to determine how each prospect will judge you when they first encounter you. However, you can rest assured that you will be judged.

Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink states, “Our first impressions are generated by our experiences and our environment, which means that we can change our first impressions . . . by changing the experiences that comprise those impressions.”

The bottom line is that it’s imperative for small business owners to discover a way for prospects to get to know them beyond that first impression. Fortunately, with the vast array of marketing tools available, this isn’t a difficult task to accomplish.

In today’s competitive environment, small business owners who realize that marketing is about cultivating relationships, building trust and remaining transparent are the winners.

If you’re a car sales-person, you’ve certainly run across many individuals who have deep-seeded beliefs about your integrity. As Gladwell suggests, these prospects have developed their impression based on their own experiences and the experiences that they have heard from others.

However, you have the ability to change your prospects’ experiences. It’s within your power to create a brand new, positive experience for your prospect. Obviously, you need to educate, offer value and show your prospects, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are a truthful and honest car sales-person. Because, if you can show them a new reality, they will change their minds.

One of your jobs, as a small business owner, is to continually educate your prospects beyond their initial judgments. You need to showcase your personality and your own unique qualities. This doesn’t mean that you have to put together a slick presentation of your tap-dance skills. You simply need to be you.

Too many small business owners are so wrapped up in “professionalism” that they’re afraid to let their prospects know who they really are; this is a huge mistake.  Talk to your prospects; engage them; develop a relationship with them. This is how the new Fortune 500 companies are being built – one relationship at a time.

And remember, as you read this article, I just may be touring with Adam Lambert. He changed my reality – who would have guessed?

Shoestring Marketing Association

Filed Under: branding, small business marketing Tagged With: , ,