Ten absolutely, necessary, brand considerations (pt. 2)

6.  Are you trendspotting?  If what your business is speaking about, sharing, or selling isn't relevant then its more or less "game over". This means you need to know what the trends are.  Easier said than done. The gravity of "keeping the status quo" is immense. It's difficult to maintain a fresh perspective and stay abreast changes. It happens though, and we unintentionally get disconnected from market realities. The market is going north, the wind blows and now it's headed east (yet you keep going north). Not the position you want to be in. Irrelevancy is always in the neighborhood. You just don't want it knocking on your front door.  

7. Are you waveriding?  It's one thing to know what the trends are but its another to know how to actually use it effectively so your fans continue to love and respect your brand.  It's like this. Just because you are out in the ocean with a surfboard and can see the wave coming, doesn't mean you'll know how to ride it. It takes alot of savvy to see the wave coming, know how big it is, and then position yourself accordingly to ride it well.  Knowing how to ride trends so it benefits your business is absolutely essential.

8. What's your strategy? - There's an idea on the table.  A good one at that.  You definitely want the world to know about it. Setting up a Facebook page and inviting friends to it is not a strategy.  The question you will need to be answering is: what is the game plan? Will you organize a speaker series that highlights your idea? Maybe you'll start a marketing campaign that brings awareness to your new offering? Building a brand needs well thought plans of action (not disjointed activities) in order for it to take root in the market.

9. Have "internal/external" brand awareness - This concept is imperative. It means you having a keen awareness of both what you're offering and other similar ideas in the market. What is your brand about?  What is your competition's brand about? Comparing and contrasting these two answers will be of high value to you. Knowing definitively why your product deserves attention in the market is significant. The time will come when you'll be telling people why they should pay attention to you. With these conversations - you're going to need to nail it!

10. Make sure your brand conveys authenticity - Please, please, please give people credit. They can smell artificiality a mile away. Previously I mentioned trust as a beat that will give your brand "heavy rotation" and authenticity is the foundation to trust. If you come to the table with sincere intentions then the world is yours.  Trust is an absolutely key factor in establishing longevity.  Very simple concept yet often becomes an undoable task for many.

Ten absolutely, necessary, brand considerations

1. Have you determined your "Brand Identity?" - in one of my previous posts I briefly discussed DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), science's version of who we are. So in business the question becomes: what is your DNA - Distinguishing Nature About you? Who are you? What do you stand for? A strong brand identity is far more than a logo. It makes a statement. It sets you apart from your competition. It gives a unique voice to you and/or your company.

2. Are you building a business or a brand? - A few things to think about:

A business has a business plan. A brand has a story.

A business has customers. A brand has fans that rave about who they are.

A business employs people who need a job. A brand inspires people to want to work there.

A business engages in transactions. A brand builds relationships.

So which are you building?  Maybe its both.

3. Have you got your rebel jeans on? A business that impacts the market in remarkable ways does not follow the rules. There may be some conventional behaviour on some level, but overall, innovators and creative businesses typically march to the beat of a different drummer. They build new ideas or re-interpret old ones and become market leaders in their respected arenas. The road less travelled is a difficult one but as the old saying goes. . ."anything worth having is worth fighting for."

4. What's your vision? - In order for success to be achieved (however success is defined) there has to be a big picture in place. This driving idea is the umbrella over which all other plans, strategies and tactics seek refuge under. Everything you say, do, write, build, and put into place is for the sole purpose of this vision. This is the sail that determines the direction in which your boat goes. With no vision, no sail. . .you are directionless and nothing is worse than going nowhere fast.

5. Will people need, want or desire what you are offering? - At the end of the day this is what it's all about. Is there a market for what you are offering? If you are pushing a business venture and no one wants what you are offering. . .that's a problem. In many ways it seems like a no brainer but how many times have you seen a commercial offering something you would never spend your money on? Another point-in-case: useless apps that people don't want, need, or desire on Facebook. TechCrunch posted an article entitled The Average Shelf Life Of An iPhone App Is Less Than 30 Days.  Why is this? The app is providing something most people don't care about. 

Ten absolutely, neccessary, brand consideartions, pt 2 . .

Raving about Earl's

At the end of the day, if you are in business, you basically want one thing:

    People raving about what it is you are doing or offering. 

In many ways there are a multitude of things to mention about what a successful business REALLY wants, but I'm paying homage to my previous post. . .less is more (and discussing one thing - raving).

So today I am raving about Earl's Sandwiches. 

Why?  Three reasons:

1. Friends. They HIGHLY recommended I check 'em out.

2. AWESOME sandwiches.

3. Customer service - Every time I stop by to eat, Ben gives me great service and knows my name. He greets me everytime with "hey Rasul, what's happenin' (that rocks!). A simple gesture that goes a looooong way.

All three reasons, again, highlight my initial point.  Get people to rave about what you are doing or offering.

If you are ever in Arlington, Virginia PLEASE stop by Earl's. Absolutely delicious sandwiches (and excellent service) are waiting for you!

Less is More (once again)

                            There's power in simplicity

One of the best marketing statements to ever be said was "less is more". Stated brilliantly by (a non-marketing professional) Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a pioneering architect of the modern movement whose intention with this statement was NOT to address the marketing world. As design meets business in today's market, though, it makes tons of sense.

The previous paragraph was part of one of my earlier posts this past January and I was reminded of it when I came across a post by Drew McLellan that spoke to the same sentiment. He used a great example of texting with his daughter to make his point. Thought I would share it with you. . .

The more important your message, the less you should say

by Drew McLellan

My daughter will be 16 next summer. Which means she sends a lot of text messages. It also means I send a lot of text messages. When in Rome...

One truth I have discovered is that even in that abbreviated medium, it's easy to be long-winded.

For every sentence I text, her retention and response gets shorter. The briefer I am, the more attention she pays and the more importance she seems to assign to my message.

If I really want an answer to a specific question or really want her to hear me about something, I use a single sentence. Then, I get her full attention.

Boy, is there a marketing lesson in that.

The more copy you use to deliver your messages...the less important they seem. The more messages you shove into a single ad, blog post or brochure -- the more likely your big message will be lost in the blur.

When it really matters....say less.

                                                                                                                             image courtesy of photo.net

Keeping up with the "Creatives" not the "Joneses"

For the better part of the last 20 to 30 years (or more) the Joneses were it.  We wanted the job they had.  We wanted the house they bought.  We wanted the car they drove. We wanted to go on the vacations they went on. We wanted their lifestyle. That's why we worked, and worked and worked and worked. We had to work like maniacs to experience life like the Joneses (funny enough the Joneses were trying to keep up with the Smiths. . .but that's another story). Now there isn't a problem with working like a lunatic, but behind the lunacy was there a job you loved?  Was there passion for your work?  Was there deep and personal fulfillment after a long and hard day at the office? 

Maybe, maybe not.

But the reality today appears to be that trying to keep up with the Joneses collapses housing markets, crashes financial institutions, loses jobs and as it turns out, stunts economic growth and stagnates market vitality.  

So maybe we should think about "keeping up with the creatives" instead. These individuals who are pushing for community, creativity, authenticity, connectivity, and honesty. . . just to scratch the surface.

Well interestingly enough one Fortune 500 company appears to get who the new economy is embracing. Maybe their peers should take notice.