Worldwide Feed is Now Live

If you haven't clicked on the Worldwide Feed on the right-hand side of the blog, then you haven't seen our "mashup" of Google Maps, blogs, and Flickr. We've finally launched this feature in its final version and I highly encourage you to explore it.

Basically, the Worldwide Feed is a global map of branding-related articles from all over the Internet. Check it out!

For Most, "Rebranding" is a Misnomer

A lot of people hire my agency for rebranding. They walk in and state that their current brand is too old; it must be updated! Truthfully, the process behind branding and rebranding is nearly identical. The reason for this is that for 95% of organizations, the work that we do is a realignment of the brand.

A true rebranding is much more than updated visuals and messages (any faithful reader of this blog knows that!). To really rebrand your organization, there must be a change in the organizational culture that fundamentally affects the way you conduct your business. There is a reason for this--something I've learned in my years as a brand consultant.

When one develops or introduces a brand to an organization, it is completely ineffective to force a core brand attribute that isn't already present in the organization. What I mean is that while developing a brand, more often then not, we are bringing to the surface key differentiators that already exist within the organization. For example, if your organization is, at heart, a stern, calculating, profit-driven machine, then a whimsical and playful brand is going to a major problem. When we brand, we are not necessarily creating anything new, just shining a spotlight on what was already there, perhaps hidden. [Please keep in mind that true rebranding efforts do exist. These are often challenging, well-planned, and organization-wide executions.]

It is natural for an organization to see the need for a realignment once in a while. Culture and operations drift and so an update has to happen to keep communications fresh. I suppose the truth about branding is that whatever your brand is, it already exists, but it might be buried. You just need someone to help you dig it out and let it shine.

The Branding Werewolf Approaches!

Look out! Oh--that's right. There is no 'branding werewolf.' What a silly idea, right? Well if there's no such thing, then why are businesses and nonprofits always looking for a silver bullet to slay it?

The silver bullet, in this case, is that perfect logo, name, or other element that makes you say "Wow! That's it!" when you see it. Many people expect this to happen during a brand's development and often use it as a litmus test for their final decisions. While a 'wow' factor is a great phenomenon to come across, it is unfortunately an unrealistic expectation and often inhibiting to the process.

What constitutes the 'wow' factor is different for every person because it is based on personal opinion. Your goal in brand development is not to create something that knocks your or your boss' socks off, but rather to create something that is competent and sends the correct message to your target audience. Also, keep in mind that it is rare for a single brand element to stand on its own. Logos, names, colors, messages - everything - are almost always within some sort of context, existing within a cohesive brand system where each component supports another. There is no need for each portion to be immaculate on its own.

The reality is that we all have to learn to accept something that competantly gets the job done. For many, it is difficult to sign off on something that doesn't feel like the surefire, 100% solution, but those people must remind themselves that any weakness in one area will be compensated by the strength of another. It is the beauty of a cohesive system.

Link: 3 Keys to Successful Branding for Small Business

Normally I'd provide commentary, but this article pretty much covers everything I have to say: http://brandingmatters.net/3-keys-to-succesful-branding-for-small-business/

This is a short, sweet, and excellent synopsis of how to develop a brand at a practical, small-business level. Not everyone has the resources of a multinational corporation and for most of us market research is just a pipe dream. The keys presented in this article really are the main goals to developing a successful brand. Couldn't have said it better myself!

Sales and Support Come Together

Sales reps are common in many industries. It's a great tactic - brand ambassadors travel to client or customer sites, take orders, provide service, and handle most of the marketing. I think the most important aspect of the rep/customer relationship is that the same person that sells the product is the same one that provides the service and support. It's a consistency within the relationship that reinforces trust. So why don't we see this with other business models?

I recently met with an emerging telecom. Their tech support people are also the same ones that handle the majority of the inside sales. This got me thinking--what if the tech support people also handled external sales? I know that there are some time management issues at hand, but for the sake of argument, let's explore the benefits of this arrangement.

Imagine if the same person that came to sell you an expensive telecom system was also the person who oversaw the installation, gave you his/her cell and home number so you could contact them during off hours, and also was the same person who gave you the tech support answers you may seek. This is a strong, consistent relationship. No longer is the customer passed off between departments with a new contact each time. I'd be willing to bet that this customer would keep their business with this company longer than average.

Maybe there is a place for this type of setup in more organizations. You can never underestimate the power of consistency and relationships.