WHO.. Who are You?

Walt Goshert — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:09:09 +0000

Laura Petrolino of Flying Pig Communications shared my earlier post today Do YOU Got WOO? on her blog. In return, here’s her take on the topic of telling your “brand” story.

Do Your Customers Know Who You Are?

What’s your story? Do you have one? Is it consistent and relevant? Without having a strong consistent brand/story developed for your organization all of your other marketing campaigns will fall short. Many organizations become so excited about launching new and exciting marketing strategies they overlook the importance of building this important foundation first.

Just like life, you need to know who you are before you can attract others. Building a brand is more about a snappy logo or catchy slogan. Building a brand is about telling your customer a story about who you are, what you believe in and why they should trust you. If you developed a strong business plan you should already have this information written down, if not follow these steps to get going in the right direction.

1) What is the goal of your business/service/product? This should have nothing to do with sales or your personal profit/success. This should have everything to do with how your business can make your customer’s life better. Why in the world, with all the many products and services out there, would your customer benefit by choosing you?

2) What makes you unique? Why would your customer choose you over the 15 zillion other ‘you’s’ on the market?

3) What personality do you want to convey? Make your business human. People like working with other people, not other things…why do you think everyone moans when they have to navigate through a computerized ‘customer service’ phone answering service, or stand yelling at the ’self-check-out’ computer at the grocery store. Person to person interaction is always a better experience. Develop a personality for your business and keep it consistent in everything you do. It could be your personality, it could be one you make up….have fun and always consider what will best appeal/resonate with your target audience

Check out Laura’s Daily PR Tips Newsletter. Subscribe and receive a Free 10-Minute Consultation.

Changing From The Inside Out (leighhimel.blogspot.com)
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How Brands Can Build A Customer Relationship.. The Feedback (newmediachatter.com)

Do YOU Got WOO Power?

Walt Goshert — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:13:22 +0000

Most, in fact more like 99%, of local, small business advertising simply doesn’t work.

Advertising about you and your company, your logo, your image, your computer, your office, the companies you represent, your fancy letterhead, your years in business, your professional designations, your association memberships, ads that scream: “I’m great!” “I’m the best!” “I’m the biggest!” “I’ve been around the longest!”…

Does— NOT— Work.

Forget about clever ads, puns, funny, cute tag lines, amazing photos, and all those slick, glossy brochures and fancy websites. Ad agencies and marketing firms are masters at creating beautiful ads and stroking your ego so you stroke them a check.

But have you ever wondered why the Ad geeks love to give themselves awards for everything except…

Did the freakin’ ad sell?

You’ve been sold a bill of goods. There’s this advertising and marketing buzzword floating around called “branding”. The idea is that people will buy from you because when they see or hear your name, they get this predictable, positive, warm, fuzzy, glow.

Yeah, that kinda works… if you’ve got millions of dollars to buy the glow.

But, the issue isn’t whether to brand or not. You see, you can’t help branding yourself and your business

You either deliver on your promises… or you don’t.
You treat clients right… or you don’t.
You honor and back your work… or you don’t.
You keep up with the latest innovations and trends… or you don’t.
Your office is clean, neat, organized… or it isn’t.
Your staff is professional, courteous, helpful, responsive… or they aren’t.

Branding happens as a result, as a measure of how congruent you are- how well your actions and words match up. There is no hiding- it’s simply a reflection of how you do business. Especially in today’s transparent social media driven On-line World.

Now the million dollar question is:

Does it make sense to invest and spend money pre-branding yourself to the great big market out there, to all those people who will never be your prospects?

Or…

Is it smarter to target your brand message to your Ideal prospects while you sell and deliver, at no additional cost or effort?

Unless you are McDonald’s, Coke, or Home Depot with a billion dollar ad budget, you can’t afford to throw money away sending feel- good messages into thin air. You must laser- target your message to your Ideal prospects.

You must talk about their problems, their desires. You got to get into the conversation going on in their heads.

Why?

Because they don’t care at all about you.

They care about themselves and their problems, their dreams.

To enter this conversation your prospects have going on in their heads, to understand what they care about, and to use the precise approach and words to get them to notice what you can do to help them…

Starts with the first understanding exactly who they are…

Understanding exactly what’s going on… their thoughts, feelings, motives, dreams, and desires…

When you understand and define your Ideal prospect… your “Right Market”, then— and only then— are you ready to woo them.

How DO YOU WOO Your Local Ideal Prospects Online?

Flickr Photo Credit: Don Hankins

Personal Brand & the Humanization of Corporate Brand (redcouch.typepad.com)

Walt Goshert » Brand

WHO.. Who are You?

Do Your Customers Know Who You Are?

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