New Brands Should Lever Their Positive Prospects
SURROUND THE NAY-SAYERS WITH SUCCESS!
When many hopeful startups enter the marketplace, they are surprised by the large percentage of “nay-sayers” they encounter right off the bat! These folks say “no” because they’ve never seen your brand before. They have no history with it. They already have performing brands and limited...
Brands Can be Hurt by Turnover When Key Relationships Are Severed
IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!
Lost opportunities, reduced sales, broken relationships. These are the nightmares of all brand builders. Maintaining stable business relationships are crucial to brand growth, and business relationships are based on performance over time. So why would a brand builder risk turnover when key relationships hang in the...
The Norwegian Brand Promotes a Culture of Environmentalism
NORWAY IS THE CLEAN WAY
We are posting this blog from Norway where we came to support and present at the annual “Mixer” which supports entrepreneurialism at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. This is the largest technical university in Norway and has a robust entrepreneurial program...
Our 10 Biggest Mistakes – Don’t Let Them Be Yours
HINDSIGHT IS 20-20
As we travel and speak internationally on the subject of entrepreneurship, we are complemented not so much on the successes we achieved, but on the mistakes we share. In order to engage our audiences of start-ups looking to survive, small businesses looking to grow, or established...
Early Support for Marginalized Groups Results in Customer Loyalty
A PITCH OR A MOVEMENT?
Today, if you are in business, you have to stand for something beyond your product or service. This relatively new concept is being hastened by the wave of transparency possible through the Internet. In the past, producers were so worried about losing customers that they avoided...
7 Factors That Affect Customer Loyalty
"I LOVE THESE GUYS!"
When your customers first buy your product, they likely were previously loyal to another product. Something happened that sent them shopping. Maybe it was the price, or maybe they just couldn’t find it anymore. So they tried yours. For whatever reason, you now have an opportunity...
Top 3 Must Reads
Company Branding Should Convey your Message
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE? - Burt Bacharach
Michael Caine played a Cockney womanizer in the popular 1966 movie, Alfie. Burt Bacharach’s theme, by the same name, asked the rhetorical question that conveyed the message of the movie. Your company branding starts with a succinct message that communicates what it’s all about and how...
Measuring Customer Loyalty is Critical to Brand Survival
I’LL BE BAAACK! – OR – HASTA LA VISTA, BABY!
We’ve all heard about the contractor who says “It looks fine from my house,” but the homeowner who has to live with it will never hire that contractor again. Sometimes bridges burn so quietly, you may not realize you are losing customers, especially when you are...
Sales Jobs Require Social Skills and Product Knowledge
15 QUALITIES TO LAND THE PERFECT SALES JOB
Every business really has only two divisions: Sales and Sales Support. Without Sales, no one in Sales Support gets paid. Why are salespeople so essential to any brand? Generally, the buyer “buys” the salesperson and not the product. A buyer’s relationship with a particular salesperson can...
Branding Your Business is a Multi-faceted Challenge
THE BRANDING MESSAGE IS MUCH MORE THAN OWNERSHIP
The cowboys used branding in the old west to identify their cattle and horses. When particularly excellent beef was identified with a brand, the brand itself gained value. After a while, it was expected that beef under that brand was going to be excellent. The repetition...
Branding Services Abound – Know What You are Looking For
GET THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB
They say the folks who made the most money during the gold rush were selling shovels. The branding “gold rush” of today is no different. If this was written twenty years ago it would be called Marketing Services Abound. As we advance into the twenty-first century,...
A Great Brand Story is Engaging, Entertaining and Educational
A BRAND STORY – MAKE IT MEMORABLE, NOT A PITCH
Today people are looking for the story behind the brand. Where did it come from? How did its founder market it? And how did the public perceive it? Unlike a pitch about features and benefits, a brand story takes you to the often humble origins of...
How to Talk to Your Logo Maker
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS - WHAT ARE THEY?
Thousands of logo makers would love to design a logo for your company, product or service. Most have artistic talent, imagination and experience in making logos for other companies. Many people who have never made a successful logo think they can do it themselves. It’s fun...
Sales: The Life Blood of Every Brand
THE BEST BRAND IN THE WORLD STILL NEEDS TO BE SOLD
Today, there is a lot of focus on Brands and Branding as if that alone would make your business a success. You often hear, “That brand just took off!” or, “That brand has a giant following!” like it was some kind of popularity contest, based on...