| THE POWER OF BEING THE BRAND (PART 2) | | | | ("Super Sponsor") by publicly giving credit to the |
| - by Michelle van der Heyde | | | | sponsor, (possibly in from of the press or tv) and |
| We have already established that "brand" can also be | | | | letting the media know, that "Super sponsor" is a |
| defined as the recognition and personal connection | | | | generous type of company. Publicity like this seems |
| that forms in the hearts and minds of your | | | | pointless, but it's not, because not only did "Super |
| customers and other key audiences through their | | | | sponsor" re-establish his position in our minds and |
| collective experiences with your brand (at every | | | | memories, but also gave us a reason to like him |
| point of contact). Ideally the brand that emerges is a | | | | (positive publicity). |
| positive one, leading to trust, loyalty and advocacy | | | | 3) FREE stuff. Famous people get free stuff. Not too |
| for your offerings, increasing shareholder value and | | | | much, but more than you think. This is a marketing |
| establishing long-term advantage in the marketplace. | | | | gimmick used by high priced manufacturers, etc. who |
| [Partial Info by (allaboutbranding.com)] | | | | hope that they would either get an endorsement |
| Are you the new brand on the block? Info by | | | | deal or just a very loyal customer. They market to |
| (allaboutbranding.com) | | | | the ones they believe will be able to buy from them |
| When building a new brand, the following four | | | | - they are right to do so. This also increases the |
| disciplines can be viewed from 1- 4 as sequential | | | | likelihood that the fans of the famous would pick up |
| phases of development. However, when working | | | | the trend. Don't misunderstand, low priced |
| with existing brands, each of the disciplines operates | | | | manufacturers sometimes try this too, but not |
| concurrently - they are interdependent and work | | | | usually on the famous, as it is not believable |
| together over time. | | | | advertising. This advertising is usually done in some |
| 1)brand strategy | | | | form of free samples, a survey or a competition. |
| 2)brand identity | | | | 4) Ownership and the Choice to expand. Smart |
| 3)brand management | | | | people who have used their names efficiently (as a |
| 4)brand experience. | | | | brand), like Oprah Winfrey and Donald Trump, etc., |
| Brand Strategy - Its purpose is to understand key | | | | choose to own the companies they built on those |
| aspects of a company's business, its marketplace, its | | | | names. I'm not saying that they are the sole owners, |
| customers and other key audiences, and then to use | | | | (I would not pretend to know), but owning your |
| these insights to define an appropriate brand | | | | company, your name and your website, will be the |
| strategy. This sets the foundation for all other | | | | difference between becoming an extremely wealthy |
| branding activities. | | | | person to being the one who is at the mercy of the |
| Brand Identity - Informed and directed by the Brand | | | | rest of "the board". More to the point, the benefit of |
| Strategy elements, the Brand Identity discipline | | | | ownership is control. The ability to expand your |
| provides the highly distinctive outward expressions of | | | | business, expand your branding, expand your |
| the company's values, personality and promise its | | | | targeted customers and/or audience and the |
| identity system consisting of elements such as the | | | | freedom to consider many new ways of advertising, |
| name and logo that are used repeatedly to provide | | | | e.g. a reality tv show - why not? |
| instant recognition in a crowded marketplace. It also | | | | How are you going to do it? |
| expresses the organization's purpose and personality | | | | Step 1: I've already discussed the domain name with |
| through a well-defined color palette, a characteristic | | | | you. Your job is to find a decent web host, open an |
| design system and additional verbal branding such as | | | | account and purchase a domain, which you could |
| a tagline and category-defining phrases for products | | | | register under the guidelines I've already mentioned. |
| and services. | | | | Choose a web host that allows you to have unlimited |
| Brand Management - The inclusion of the Brand | | | | websites per domain, because it is more |
| Management discipline at this point in the process of | | | | cost-effective and it is a lot faster. There are many |
| brand creation an development, is critical for the | | | | that offer this, so don't just quit if you don't find it |
| three key functions it provides: | | | | immediately! It is best to keep the domain name kind |
| - Planning coordinated launch and delivery of brand | | | | of general, because you'll want to use it more than |
| messages, both internally and externally. | | | | once. The cost of the domain should be |
| - Actively cultivating brand understanding, adoption | | | | approximately US$20 to US$30 (maybe a little more |
| and ability among employees and other involved in | | | | or less), in which case it should be valid for about one |
| creating the customer's brand experience. | | | | year. The longer you want it for, the more you'll pay, |
| - Setting up a system and tools for monitoring and | | | | so get the deal that works for you. Before you just |
| assessing the brand's health, to evolve the brand | | | | join any web hosting service, visit every scam site |
| strategy, identity, experience and management over | | | | you can find, to make sure you don't repeat |
| time. | | | | everyone else's mistakes. A word of warning, don't |
| These functions make brand management an | | | | choose a domain name that includes profanities or |
| essential discipline, both for rolling out new brands and | | | | anything else that your friend's great grandmother |
| for managing existing brands to best effect. It is the | | | | won't like to read. You can do what you want, but |
| guiding hand that promotes the brand, protects its | | | | bad language, etc. will make step three a lot more |
| integrity and moves it forward. | | | | difficult. Your web host should have plenty of |
| Brand Experience - A customer's experience with a | | | | tutorials to help you set up your website or at least |
| brand should be the result coordinated | | | | a brilliant customer service. Choose a marketable idea, |
| communications and company contacts. The goal of | | | | like for example shoes, etc. Once you have chosen |
| the Brand Experience discipline, however, is to enable | | | | your topic (a good and at least semi-wholesome |
| companies to design a range of experiences that | | | | one), to feature on your site, make sure that you |
| customers and other audiences will find meaningful, | | | | name yourself as the author of your page - again |
| memorable, and associate explicitly with your brand. | | | | see customer service. |
| Doing this is the surest path to building brand trust, | | | | Step 2: Write an article that is content rich, keyword |
| loyalty and advocacy. | | | | rich and relevant to your website, and don't forget |
| Use My Name? | | | | to name yourself as the author. Warning: DO NOT |
| Yes, why not? If you have a criminal record, or you | | | | COMMIT PLAGIARISM! |
| are an illegal alien I don't recommend this (as I said, | | | | If you have used some information gathered from |
| the internet remembers everything). However, if you | | | | other sites, give credit appropriately. |
| still feel compelled, make up an Internet ID, a | | | | Now that you have your article, insert a link, not a |
| nickname that is unique to you. With millions if not | | | | hyperlink, but the entire link, e.g. (exactly like your |
| billions of internet users on the planet that will be | | | | page address). Do this a few times in the article, in |
| hard so it has to be a creative nickname, keep it | | | | appropriate places. |
| simple, check the search engines so you don't | | | | Step 3: In your search engine you'll find many sites |
| duplicate and then register it as your domain name. | | | | that accept articles for free - make use of them, as |
| However, if you are not any kind of trouble and | | | | they serve the purpose of free publicity. Open an |
| haven't ever been before, then USE YOUR NAME AS | | | | account in as many as you can, and publish your |
| YOUR BRAND! If you use your name as a brand, | | | | article. This process can be made easier and faster |
| register it as a trademark (same rule applies for the | | | | with the variety of article submission software |
| nickname). I don't recommend that you use your | | | | available of the market today. Make sure that the |
| name as your domain name, but I do recommend | | | | author info; the category and the links are correct, |
| registering all domains under your name. You could | | | | before publishing it. Remember how I warned you |
| register one domain with the same name as you, but | | | | about choosing a decent name for your domain? |
| it may lower your search-engine rankings as it is not | | | | Well, here's why: your links contain the full version of |
| a sought after name yet. The only benefit of it | | | | your name, which is accepted as part of your article, |
| would be its uniqueness, which would fly out the | | | | when you publish it. Websites that publish articles for |
| window as soon as someone else registers the same | | | | free, not only screen your articles (for profanities, |
| or a similar name (especially if you have a more | | | | inactive links, too many links, pornographic materials, |
| common name like John Smith). Therefore, it makes | | | | and inappropriate text, all of which will cause them to |
| more sense to first become established, and then | | | | reject your article), but some may even "blacklist" |
| register a domain with your name. This method has | | | | you from their site, for attempting to distribute |
| had its successes, for example Oprah Winfrey, who | | | | inappropriate content. Read the specific article |
| was first established and then launched her website. | | | | submission guidelines of each site before publishing. |
| Her website was and still is unstoppable, because | | | | Publishing articles increases your chances of getting a |
| "Oprah Winfrey" was and is a very much sought | | | | high ranking on search-engines, but if your keywords, |
| after term. | | | | page descriptions, etc. on your site (see customer |
| Do you remember what I said (in Part 1) about the | | | | service) are not up to par, it will take much longer |
| enormous advantages that some Billionaires found in | | | | than it needs to. There are some sites that will be |
| BEING their brand? If you don't remember, "GO | | | | able to help you with this (some will do it for free, |
| BACK TO THE BEGINNING, DO NOT PASS GO, DO | | | | but unfortunately most won't). My site, features a |
| NOT COLLECT $200!" because you are obviously not | | | | variety of software & e-books, which can guide |
| paying attention. Billionaires have become billionaires | | | | you or even do it for you (if you are slightly new or |
| mostly because of business savvy and good branding. | | | | uncertain of what to do, when and where). Getting |
| Becoming the brand that your target audiences love | | | | your name on the web as many times as possible (in |
| and trust is hard work. However the benefits of | | | | a positive way though), and using all that fame to |
| being the loved and trusted brand, include, but are | | | | generate money, is the way the grown-ups are doing |
| not limited to (1) Endorsements, (2) Sponsorships, (3) | | | | it. Becoming a loved and trusted brand, on the |
| FREE stuff, (4) Ownership and the choice to expand. | | | | Internet, is easier than on television, radio or print. If |
| 1) Being the endorser. The endorser gets paid, just | | | | you don't believe me, give it your best shot and see |
| for saying: "I like it!" Of course he/ she has to have a | | | | what happens. |
| signed deal in place before they say it, or they don't | | | | In the very beginning (part 1), I asked you to imagine |
| have to get paid. Maybe it sounds a little cheap, but | | | | a person, who has no company, no shareholders, no |
| if you look at their bank accounts, you won't think so | | | | website, no physical brand other than their name. |
| anymore. Unfortunately, as with everything, you take | | | | Imagine that person to be a billionaire. It's not |
| some risk adding your name to a product. Many | | | | impossible, but it seems rather impossible if not |
| sports stars have gotten extremely wealthy by | | | | extraordinarily improbable, doesn't it? I mean, I'm sure |
| endorsing products and getting sponsored. | | | | there are such people out there, but why don't we |
| Endorsements and Sponsorships can be the same, | | | | know their names? |
| but aren't necessarily. | | | | So let's mix it up a little. Imagine a person, who has |
| 2) Getting Sponsorship. Imagine the sponsor is called | | | | no company, no shareholders, no physical brand other |
| "Super Sponsor" (just because I don't want to | | | | than their name and their website. Could you imagine |
| implicate anyone). People with "famous faces" can | | | | this person to be a billionaire? Seems kind of realistic |
| get sponsorship from just about anyone, for just | | | | now, doesn't it? There are definitely such people out |
| about anything. The reason is that the "Super | | | | there. |
| Sponsor" wants the person with the "famous face" | | | | Could you imagine one of these people to be you? It |
| (a trusted brand), to give publicity to the sponsor | | | | is your choice... |