“So I did a search and all these ads for hotshot designers
came up,’ I said. “They equate a logotype with a brand. Has the world gone mad?”
Bob took a sip of his draft and just chortled. “Ol son,” he
said with a tiny twang, “Hope springs eternal. The good lord set the task of
namin’ things to them as was in the garden and we been tryin’ to do right by
him ever since. Those youngins just don’t understand that a brand is about
reputation as much as anythin’ else.”
Kate looked over her glasses at him, harrumphed and said, “Reputation
is only part of it. It starts with a name, one people can remember and with
products or services they want to buy…maybe. But if you treat them badly, if your
sales people don’t listen and help them you won’t get a chance to have a reputation.”
Chris added, and it doesn’t make a bit of difference if it
is on line or brick and mortar. Every time we run a test the biggest jump in
conversions comes from making it easy to get the information they want in the way
they want to get it depending on where they are in the sales cycle. In some
cases we know they want to talk to somebody that is knowledgeable. And there,
even if you don’t get the sale, you need to be helpful because they don’t
forget.”
Gail kicked me under the table and said, “Fletch, aren’t you
going to say anything about positioning?”
“Okay,’” In my view it all starts with knowing everything you
can about possible customers and deciding what your mission is going to be with
regard to those customers. Your mission is a touchstone for you and the people
that work with you to deliver the product or service. The unique way you
present that product or service to prospects, and the world for that matter, is
your position. If you adhere to those two things, especially if they are in
sync, you will build trust.
Trust is at the core of what you offer a potential customer.
It is wrapped round by the product, the price, the passage or distribution
methods you choose and then wrapped in a name. Yes, people remember the name
and the logotype for it. They can remember a personality and associate a
lifestyle with that name.
Brand is not something you decide. It is the sum
total of what customers, prospects and others come to believe about you. Your brand
is what they think not what you would like it to be.”
Bob, began clapping and said, “You’re mamma raised no dumb
children ol son. My job for most of my days has been trying to get clients to
understand what their brand really is. You just said a mouthful and the most
important part is that Trust is at the core. Everything I do in the way of
promotion is to build and maintain that trust.
Jerry is considered a master of Positioning see examples at his consultng web site: www.JerryFletcher.com