Long Term Marketing

I am a damn near reverent fan of Al Reis and his daughter, Laura. I’ve read two great books on branding by them, The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR and The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding and I’m looking forward to reading their latest book, The Origin of Brands. Their website, ries.com, is a must for anyone interested in branding.

In an article that I copied from The Atlanta Business Chronicle (ironically, about branding the city of Atlanta), Ries spoke about the long, steady nature of a good marketing program.

The purpose of the marketing program is to reinforce and remind prospects of what you already stand for in their minds. It’s like a religious service. What did you learn Sunday that you didn’t know before? Not much, but you still come away from the service with a renewed faith in your choice of religion.

Marketing programs should work the same way. They should exploit ideas that have already formed in your mind and make them resonate. Over time, this repetition becomes a powerful force for achieving our goals.

The key words here are “over time.” Most brands build with the passage of time, often lots of time. What you say about your product today might be pretty much the same thing you say two years from now. However, the impact two years from now will be far more powerful. Why? Because if you are reinforcing in your prospects “what you stand for in their minds,” each message builds on the last. At some point these you will have staked out important real estate in their minds. Then they are much more likely to do business with you.

Posted by Harry Chittenden

Who’s Minding Your Brand Gap?

When there’s a disconnect between the promise of your brand and the delivery of it … you’ve got a problem. It’s called brand gap.

It’s a problem that requires your attention, because expectations can work for you – and against you. If you try out a new restaurant with no preconceptions about it and have a so-so meal, you might just chalk it up to an off-night. If you try out a restaurant that’s been highly touted and have that same so-so meal, chances are you’re going to feel disappointed. Maybe even a little hoodwinked.

Brand builds expectations. What it can’t do is make your company, your product, your service, or your people live up to them.

Discovering and managing your brand is a collaborative process between your branding team and those in your company you’ve tasked with this important mission.

Living the brand is an ongoing day-in and day-out effort that requires the buy-in and commitment of every member of your organization. While much of the brand decision-making may happen top-down, keep in mind that everything that supports the brand is also going to have to happen bottom-up.

In other words, it truly takes a village to build a brand … and to zealously guard that brand gap.

Posted by Nora Minor