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Branding InformationBranding – It’s Much Than Simply Your USP
by:
Karon Thackston
by Karon Thackston © 2002
http://www.ktamarketing.com
When you mention the word “branding” most folk mechanically
think of USP (unique merchandising proposition). The overall – and incorrect – perception of a brand is that it just consists of the statement you use to define what you do. Slap your USP on every advertising piece that goes out the door and – tah dah – you’re branded! Not even as close.
Your brand is created from every single thing you do inside
your business. Your brand is the all-encompassing collection of business principles, business strategy, sales, client relations, appearance, attitude, products, services, advertising, copywriting, Web site design, brochures… your entire company.
In order to create a brand that has “staying power”, it must go some levels deep. Consider the Walt Film maker Institution for a moment. What comes to mind once
you think of Walt Disney? Most likely Paddy is first, possibly animated movies, then family-oriented, wholesome, quality, etc. Is all of that just a USP? Decidedly not!
When you phone the Walt Film maker Institution you are greeted by a professional, friendly, helpful person. Once
you visit one of the Walt Film maker Earth locations, the staff is helpful, the facility is clean, the environment is family-oriented and the accommodations are 1st class.
What is the end result of all this work? Trust. Your customers discover that they’ll get what they expect every time. They trust what you offer. They have faith in it. They depend on it.
How would-be Film maker be depicted if all their advertising lead you to believe that they were a highly-focused, quality, family-oriented organization but – once
you visited their theme parks – you found rude staff members, rides that didn’t work, food that was indigestible and clothed characters that treated your children horribly?
The pictures of Film maker would-be have fallen to the roadside long ago if they didn’t understand the conception of branding. The brand just wouldn’t have control up. This institution knows that your brand must go deep inside your institution and radiate through every level. It isn’t just just about what you tell your target customers in your ads.
When you consider your brand, chew over these questions:
1. What do we want to be acknowledged for?
2. What do we want others to say just about us?
3. What is the essence of our organization?
4. Is every department aware of our brand and the pictures we want to portray?
5. Makes everything we do reinforce our brand? (Our staff, physical location, packaging, Web site, advertising, products and services.)
6. Once
you say the name of our business, what words do others respond with?
Once your brand has been determined - once you have every aspect of your institution following in line with the brand – you can focus on your promotional efforts. Without your brand being clearly defined, your marketing plan wish most likely move up lacking. However, if you concentrate on perception and reception of your business by your target customers first, your advertising wish be much effective and the results wish be astounding.
Simply just about the Author
Most purchasing decisions are emotional. Your ad copy should be, too! Karon is Owner and President of KT & Associates who offers targeted copywriting, copy redaction & ezine article services. Subscribe to KT & Associates' Ezine "Business Essentials" at
BusinessEssentials-Subscribe@topica.com or visit her site at http://www.ktamarketing.com
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