| Usually the prevalent message found in college | | | | are getting complaints that the toilet paper holder in the |
| classrooms discussing marketing is that you "Must | | | | ladies bathroom is empty, maybe you should put a |
| create a brand." I am here to tell you that while this is | | | | system in place that tells your employees to check the |
| true to some degree, it should not be the primary | | | | ladies bathroom at 3:25 pm every day and make sure |
| focus but rather the by-product. | | | | that there are plenty of toilet paper and paper towels. |
| Why? Well, let's look at the brands that we have all | | | | But don't just change it and leave it. Continue to |
| been exposed to on a regular basis. What comes to | | | | monitor, because you might notice that the time may |
| mind? | | | | change during the winter months and you have to |
| Coca-Cola? Polar Bears, Refreshing | | | | tweak your system again. |
| Budweiser? Frogs and Clydesdale Horses | | | | If you notice that when a potential customer calls |
| Chevrolet? Like a Rock (Bob Seger song) | | | | everything goes great until they are handed off to a |
| McDonalds? Quick, simple, fast, Ronald McDonald, | | | | certain person, tweak the system. Maybe listen in to |
| great way to keep the kids entertained and fed | | | | what that person is saying and how they are saying it. |
| So, after giving you some great examples of how | | | | If need be, give them a script. If they are not on board |
| companies are branding themselves, why do I still say | | | | with the process, maybe you should look at finding |
| that branding should be a by-product not a focus? | | | | someone who will be, because you cannot afford to |
| Well, let me ask you this question. How much do you | | | | have your employees ruining your brand for you. It is all |
| think you would recognize these brands if they had not | | | | you have. |
| spent millions of dollars on ad campaigns? Would you | | | | Think back to your childhood and the little hardware |
| be able to chime in at precisely the right moment for | | | | store down on the corner. Do you think the owner |
| the "Beef, it's what's for dinner song?" (You know you | | | | knew a thing about creating a brand? Probably not. |
| did it) if it hadn't been burned into your mind by 100s of | | | | What he did know about was his customers and he |
| 1,000s of repetitions? What about the Budweiser | | | | knew how to provide good service. He knew that the |
| frogs? Would you be able to recite the entire | | | | farmer down the road was about to repair some |
| commercial if you hadn't seen it so many times? Of | | | | fences, so when the needed material came in he didn't |
| course not, and neither could your customers. So | | | | just wait for the farmer to saunter in again. He gave |
| unless you have a multi-million dollar marketing | | | | him a call and then had it delivered right to his doorstep. |
| advertising department in your company, you are going | | | | He knew the exact types of hinges in your Aunt Millie's |
| to need to find another way to brand yourself. | | | | house and how to get replacement ones, because he |
| What does that mean for you? Well, not to take | | | | sold her father the originals years ago. And best of all, |
| away from the graphic designers out there, but the | | | | he knew your favorite kind of candy and always |
| first thing to remember is that while a logo is important, | | | | knew when you needed a pick me up. |
| a logo is not the most important part of a brand. Do | | | | Am I trying to say that you need to open up a little |
| you remember the logo for your dentist or local florist? | | | | country hardware store? No. Am I saying that branding |
| What about the local coffee shop? If you do, good for | | | | is bad? No. What I am saying is that a logo or nice |
| you, you are attentive. But if you don't, that's okay. | | | | stationary are not going to save you if you have poor |
| Neither do 98.7% of their other customers. Are you | | | | customer service or a poor product. I am saying that it |
| less likely to shop at any of these places because you | | | | is a whole package. |
| can't remember what their logo looks like? Probably | | | | You need to take those basics of customer service |
| not. | | | | from the little country hardware store owner and |
| But you are less likely to shop at these places if you | | | | realize that the whole reason a business is known for |
| have received poor service, poor product, etc. So, | | | | good service is not because they said so in some ad. |
| what does that mean in regards to branding? Your | | | | It is because their customers said it about them time |
| WHOLE business is your brand. From the sign out | | | | after time after time. The same can be said for good |
| front to the empty toilet paper holder in the ladies | | | | food, cleanliness, good quality, etc. Remember, if you |
| bathroom, it all matters to your customers. If the first | | | | say it, your customer will question it. If they say it, it is |
| thing that comes to mind when your customers think | | | | true. |
| of you is, "They have great food, but the bathroom | | | | Another way to help with this is to get customer |
| always has this weird smell..." then your brand is tainted. | | | | feedback on a consistent basis, first of all so that you |
| If your customers love your products, but your billing | | | | can know what your customers think about you and |
| process is a pain, your brand is tainted. | | | | secondly so that you can catch the problems in your |
| I like to think of branding as a balancing act between | | | | system quickly. And then, more importantly, once you |
| the images such as the logo, the flyers, the signs, etc | | | | have the feedback do something about it! I love the |
| and between the actual experience. You need to have | | | | way my local Starbuck's has taken this one step |
| the logos and the signs so that people will take you | | | | further. Every time I go in there I see a little chalk board |
| seriously, but all the expensive logos and signs in the | | | | saying, "Things we are working on this week." It then |
| world won't save you if your receptionist has a bad | | | | lists 3-4 items that they have received feedback on |
| attitude that turns your customers away. | | | | from customers and that they are working to improve. |
| So how do you create a brand that consists of your | | | | What this does is it shows your customers that their |
| whole business? One thing that I suggest is that you | | | | feedback is important to you. |
| are constantly looking at ways to improve the | | | | Besides showing your customers that their feedback |
| systems in your business. (And if you are getting a | | | | is important, surveys also help you to work on your |
| blank and confused look on your face when I mention | | | | business and get it to where it flows like a well oiled |
| systems, I would start by reading Michael Gerber's | | | | machine. A mechanic must know all of the different |
| book "The E-Myth.") | | | | sounds of an engine so that when one piece is out of |
| I like to think of business as being about growth and | | | | sync they know where to look. So you must know the |
| continual change. To me that means that what | | | | way your business should look, feel, and sound so that |
| worked last month may not work today, so we have | | | | when one piece is out of sync you know what needs |
| to constantly be checking and testing things to make | | | | to be changed. And who knows, it may be your |
| sure that they are still applicable to our business today. | | | | expensive logo or sign. |
| So if you notice that at about 3:35pm each day you | | | | |