Brand Identity?Brand Identity?

Ken Tucker, Business MentorsKen Tucker, Business MentorsKeri Jones & Gina Douglas, Keri Jones & Gina Douglas, Restoration Media Restoration Media

MarketingMarketingAlan Goeltz, IRSAlan Goeltz, IRS

Skip Nelson, Quantum RestorationSkip Nelson, Quantum Restoration

It makes sense to understand that It makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting your branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about the competition, but it is about

getting your prospects to see you getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a as the only one that provides a

solution to their problem.solution to their problem.

The objectives that a good brand will achieve:

Deliver the message clearly Confirm your credibility Connects your target prospects emotionally Motivate the buyer Concretes User Loyalty

Your Brand

The Corporate and the Personal!

Where’s the mustard?Where’s the mustard?

To succeed in branding you must understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects.

You do this by integrating your brand strategies through your company at every

point of public contact A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day by day.

BrandsBrands

Do your People Do your People and Vehicles and Vehicles look like this or look like this or this ?this ?

How did tissues become How did tissues become Kleenex? Kleenex? Sandwich bags…Baggies? Sandwich bags…Baggies? Bandage strips… Band-Bandage strips… Band-Aids? Aids? More importantly, how can More importantly, how can you turn your service into you turn your service into a household name? a household name?

The big company’s have large The big company’s have large advertising budgets to help advertising budgets to help push their names to the push their names to the forefront. But where does that forefront. But where does that leave the small-business owner leave the small-business owner who has limited resources?who has limited resources?

Take stock of what you have to offer Take stock of what you have to offer and analyzing how it’s uniqueand analyzing how it’s uniqueIdentify your greatest strengths, Identify your greatest strengths, determine what draws customers to you determine what draws customers to you and note the specific ways you outshine and note the specific ways you outshine your competitors.your competitors.Then compare the benefits of your Then compare the benefits of your service to those of your competitors. service to those of your competitors. Every feature should yield an Every feature should yield an “identifiable and distinguishable” “identifiable and distinguishable” benefit for the consumerbenefit for the consumer..

Tom Peters, Co-author of “In Search of Excellence” & “Pursuit of WOW” says…

The next step is to increase your The next step is to increase your visibility… getting out there and visibility… getting out there and spreading the word about your spreading the word about your business. business. Become known as an expert in your Become known as an expert in your field and customers and clients will field and customers and clients will think of you first.think of you first. Teaching a class at your brokers Teaching a class at your brokers association or speak at an adjuster association or speak at an adjuster meeting. Offer workshops and seminars meeting. Offer workshops and seminars in your area. Speak on disaster planning in your area. Speak on disaster planning before community groups. Will you be before community groups. Will you be the one when the next storm hits? the one when the next storm hits?

Writing is another way to enhance Writing is another way to enhance your profile. your profile.

Submit opinion pieces to your local Submit opinion pieces to your local newspaper, industry magazines, or offer newspaper, industry magazines, or offer to write a column. to write a column. Submit articles to your industry Submit articles to your industry newsletter.newsletter.

Become active in your local chamber Become active in your local chamber of commerce and other professional and of commerce and other professional and business organizations. business organizations. Sign up for committees, host get-Sign up for committees, host get-togethers at your place of business and togethers at your place of business and attend functions.attend functions.

Visibility alone won’t make you Visibility alone won’t make you stand out in the marketplace. stand out in the marketplace.

Treat all your personal interactions as Treat all your personal interactions as opportunities to build your reputation. opportunities to build your reputation. Always being sincere, honest, Always being sincere, honest, prepared, and professional.prepared, and professional.

Returning phone calls, fulfilling Returning phone calls, fulfilling promises and even saying thank promises and even saying thank

you may all seem like little things, you may all seem like little things, but they make an impression:but they make an impression:

•Try to develop a knack for remembering names. People are flattered when you remember their name. •Be an active listener. •Create a “small talk” notebook. In it jot down anecdotes about life or current events to stimulate conversation.

•Send a follow-up note. When you meet someone who you’d like to stay in touch with, send a letter saying how much you enjoyed meeting. Mention the possibility of getting together in the future.

•Know your profession. Keep updated about the latest trends and developments in your field and your geographic area.

•Pass along interesting articles. When you come across something you know an acquaintance, client or customer would be interested in, send it along with an email “I thought you might find the attached of interest.”

•Go through your address book periodically. Send a hello note to those you haven’t been in touch with in awhile.

Tom Peters calls this “branding” yourself — identify what sets your company apart from the rest, spread the word and back your business with your own reputation. Like Kleenex, your name may become synonymous with what you do. And that’s nothing to sneeze at.

““The person that figures out how The person that figures out how to harness the collective genius of to harness the collective genius of

the people in his or her the people in his or her organization is going to blow the organization is going to blow the

competition away.”competition away.”- Walter Wriston, former Citibank CEO- Walter Wriston, former Citibank CEO

That’s the That’s the way way

We’ve We’ve alwaysalways

Done itDone it

Where’s the mustard?Where’s the mustard?

ConfusionConfusion

CONFUSION CONFUSION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

contradictions

contradictions

JOB

DESC

RIP

TIO

NSexpectation

s

Hiring Practi

ces

perce

perce

ption

ption

ss

ACTIONS

Hazy Directi

ons

Deadlines

PRIO

RIT

IES

““Value is determined deep inside operations Value is determined deep inside operations by how well people at the front lines do by how well people at the front lines do

their jobs. A company that creates value in their jobs. A company that creates value in the boiler room, counts it in the Penthouse…the boiler room, counts it in the Penthouse…

The very notion that a company could be The very notion that a company could be full of people who don’t understand how full of people who don’t understand how

they contribute to value creation is they contribute to value creation is unacceptable to any business.”unacceptable to any business.”

- John Donovan, Richard Tulley and Brent Wortman, TheValue Enterprise- John Donovan, Richard Tulley and Brent Wortman, TheValue Enterprise