Master the message
December 30, 2011
Pausing for a moment to reflect on the year that has passed, the passing of Steve Jobs stands out as a large milestone in the world of business and innovation. Many people have referred to him as one of the best CEO’s ever, or one of the most influential technology innovators ever, or other similar designations. But one thing is certain, he truly was one of the most brilliant marketing minds the business world has even known. There are lots of “Top __ of Steve Jobs” lists that have been circulated since his passing. My favorite is “The 7 Success Principles of Steve Jobs” http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2011/01/04/the-7-success-principles-of-steve-jobs/ I like this list because it’s simple, direct, and can be applied to any type of business, any walk of life. But I especially like it because of the last “principle”:
Principle Seven: Master the message. Steve Jobs is the world’s greatest corporate storyteller, turning product launches into an art form. You can have the most innovative idea in the world, but if you can’t get people excited about it, it doesn’t matter.
Steve Jobs told stories. That’s why there are so many Steve Jobs quotes, sound bites, interviews, videos, presentations, product launches, and press conferences that you can read, watch, and listen to. He understood that at the heart of every company, every product, and every technology innovation there’s a story to be told. And told again. And again. Because the foundation of every brand is a core message. A message that has to be mastered. And grown into a story.
Steve Jobs was a master of the message.
So, what’s your story?
What’s your mark worth?
November 22, 2011
Go on eBay and you’ll find thousands and thousands of autographs for sale. Autographs from athletes, autographs from celebrities and semi-celebrities (including TV and movie actors you’ve never heard of), autographs of business executives, astronauts, and politicians (who wouldn’t want a signed postcard from President Warren G. Harding?), even autographs of famous criminals. Each with an approximate value attached to it. Which, as we all know, is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. And people are willing to pay handsomely for the right “mark” from the right person.
Your company has a “mark” or a signature, too. So when it comes to creating a visual brand identity for your company or product, what’s the right price? You just need a logo, right? Well, there are websites where you can create your own logo in a matter of a few minutes. Login, answer a question or two, click, click, click (ok, you might have to actually pause for a second or two between clicks), review your handiwork, add the finished product to your shopping cart and get out your credit card. Bam! There’s your new logo! For only $19.95. I’m not kidding. The trouble is, it’s like speed dating. It’s fast, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll make a connection with anyone.
Don’t make a brand promise you can’t keep
October 28, 2011
There is an old saying that says “Nothing kills a brand faster than great advertising.” Now, I would agree with that if it was edited slightly to say “Nothing kills a brand faster than advertising that’s not authentic.” Whether it’s advertising, web content, or social media, making a claim or promise in your communications that your brand can’t live up to is the deadliest of branding sins. I’m reminded of financial services advertising during the past couple of years. Here’s a visual brand message that Citi worked hard to communicate in the midst of the biggest financial crisis of our lifetime:
This seemed just a tad unrealistic at a time when stability and a secure future were (and still are) being seen as almost unattainable by the majority of the U.S. consumer public. And at a time that Citi itself had to be bailed out by the government to remain solvent. So is that an authentic brand message? Read more…
Send them something real
October 14, 2011
How many emails do you get every day? Probably way too many. How about tweets, updates, posts, and assorted other messages? The communication coming at you from the virtual world can sometimes be a little too much. So when our client Stapleton Business (Denver’s newest commercial office space development) wanted to create an initial brand impression with corporate site selection consultants, we said “Let’s send them something real. And maybe a little unexpected.” Our idea? Send them a shoe.
And that’s what we did. We packaged up dozens of boxes containing just one shoe and sent them to real estate decision makers in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas in advance of sales meetings that had been set. Yes, in their correct shoe size (nothing like asking someone their shoe size to make them curious about a meeting!). Cool outdoorsy shoes that represent the lifestyle their employees could enjoy if their business made the move to Denver and Stapleton. Because happy, engaged employees are happy, productive employees and that’s good for business. Read more…
It’s not about you, it’s about the experience
October 12, 2011
I recently received an email from the CEO of a very recognizable and successful consumer brand company (rhymes with Jetflix) that has been going through a few, um, shall we say, very public stumbles involving pricing changes and communication with their customer base.
Watch SNL have fun with the Netflix brand blunders.
The email starts out with “Dear Jerry, I messed up. I owe you an explanation.” Sounds like the CEO is about to talk about how he wants to right the wrong that his company recently inflicted on their loyal customers, right? Unfortunately, that was not the case. He immediately goes into a rather lengthy explanation of their business plans, saying things like “Let me explain what we are doing” and ”my greatest fear…has been that we wouldn’t make the leap” and “We need to focus…” and “different businesses…that need to be marketed differently…” It read like an internal memo to his employees explaining the company’s new business strategy. That’s all well and good. There’s just one problem.
His customers don’t care.
Brand personality vs. your leader’s personality
September 24, 2011
Whether it’s a small business owner or a corporate CEO, leaders influence not only the culture of a company but how the company operates and interacts with its customers. That’s what good leaders do. Their personality is usually a big factor in the growth and success of their organization. But where does the personality of the leader end and the brand personality of the company begin?
Try to think of it this way: when you’re developing a brand positioning for your company, product, or service, don’t focus on what it is, think about what your customers experience. How do your customers see the brand? How does it make them feel? If you try to just describe the brand, it’s too easy to start thinking about how people within your company act and take part in delivering the brand. Especially your company’s leaders. Because it’s easier to describe something (especially a person that you know) than to describe what that something does or how it makes people feel.
Always remember, your brand isn’t a “thing.” And it’s certainly not a person. It’s a relationship. And relationships are built on emotions.