Branding Archives - Page 10 of 42 - McLellan Marketing Group

Are you good enough to even try it?

December 18, 2009

I've been both hustling and bustling to get my Christmas shopping done. One of the items I have purchased at many different retailers is a gift card. I'm guessing most of you have bought more than one this holiday season so you know how easy it is.

You select the card design of your choice, you carry it up to the check out, you request a dollar amount and voila, you have a gift card. Pretty standard.

But not always.

I was at my bank earlier this week, making a deposit when I saw a display for VISA gift cards. I needed one for a gift so I thought…great, I'll just get it here.

When I told the teller what I wanted, she was more than happy to sell me the VISA gift card. Here's how the process went.

I pulled my credit card out of my wallet. "Oh no, sir. We can't take a credit card for the gift card." Turns out they could….but it had to be a cash advance. So I had to sign a form for that. I smiled and said, "no problem."

Then, I had to fill out a different form with my name, address, etc. on it so they could register the gift card. I smiled and said, "no problem."

Then…I had to read a 2 page disclosure and sign it. I smiled and said, "no problem."

10 minutes later, I had my $50 gift card. I could have bought the exact same card at my local grocery store or Walgreen's in 30 seconds.

I kept saying "no problem" but — for that bank, it was a big problem.

A problem of lost esteem. (I'm a good customer and I had to sign 3 different forms to buy a stinking $50 gift card?)
A problem of changed perception. (if it takes them that long to sell a gift card…how long would it take them to make a house loan?)
A problem of a bad association. (Every time I see that particular teller…what do you think I will remember?)

And they probably made $1 on the transaction, if that.

Many businesses, in an attempt to be everything to everyone or perhaps to squeak out yet another few pennies of profit — do things that they're not good at. If you're guilty of this — stop it. If you aren't great at it, don't do it. And if you know you can't at the very least — be as good as your average competitor — for the love of God, don't do it.

Whenever we step away from our sweet spot — the thing/things that we excel at (and that our brand should be associated with) we do damage. We damage our reputation, we damage our relationships and we damage our ability to be perceived as the best.

Next time you want to add a product or service to your offerings…ask yourself the very difficult question. Are we good enough to even try this?

If you can't be better than most — don't.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

More

Insights into logo design

December 14, 2009

My goal was simple….write a series of blog posts talking about the art and science of logo design and selection.

We got the company LogoInn to donate logo design time. We ran a contest and the city of Colfax became the lucky recipient of the free logo design…and it went haywire from there!

Which honestly, is a great example of how logo design works. It isn't always neat and pretty. Sometimes, it is painful. And you need to choose a partner who knows the ropes and will stick with you.

If you want to follow the saga, here are the links.

That last post was where things spiraled out of control. The city of Colfax (and most of my commenting readers) weren't crazy about any of the logos. So I sent all the critiques back to the logo company and then heard nothing. I've attempted to e-mail my contact there for several months — but nothing. (Update…I got an e-mail from them today!)

But I promised the city of Colfax a new logo and dang it, they're going to get one!

So….we decided to run another contest…but this time for designers. Anyone who wanted to enter a logo could. The winning logo designer would get s $250 VISA gift card.

Today….I am delighted to tell you we have 23 new logos to examine, discuss and hopefully…decide upon. 7 designers submitted logos. I am purposefully not identifying the designers at this time…but I will once the winner has been selected.

When viewing and trying to select a new logo for your company/brand, remember these rules:

Always view the logos in black and white first.
Always view the logos in a relatively small size. If it doesn't work small — it doesn't work.
Always view all logos in relatively the same size, so you are comparing apples to apples.
Remember — this is a subjective decision. Be careful that "committee think" doesn't paralyze you.

To view all 23 logos on the web — click here.

To download a PDF (larger images) of all 23 logos — click here.

Then, come on back here…and let's talk about the designs, the process and how you go about accessing a good logo. (Please remember…be respectful of the designers who did these — anyone trash talking will be immediately booted.)

More

5 reasons why other people will spread your personal brand

December 5, 2009

I was part of a panel (with Claire Celsi, Nathan T. Wright & Dr. David Bulla) talking to journalists about personal branding this morning.

Part of my message was that it's fine and dandy to have a personal brand…but one of the keys to its success is in how you share your brand with the world. I used the analogy of a dandelion.

Once you figure out what your personal brand is all about….you hold it out to the world, like a dandelion.

Sure…the wind will gently blow some of the seeds along, letting them land somewhere and take root. But…if you really want your personal brand to be spread far and near…you need other people.

When someone holds a dandelion close to their mouth and gives a big blow….those seeds go everywhere. What would make someone want to use some of their power and influence to help spread your personal brand?

Here are five reasons why someone else might make the effort to spread your personal brand:

Are you a go-giver? Do you share what you know and have?

People tend to want to help those people who help others. If people know that you're not a taker, they're going to be more inclined to serve you up to their friends and colleagues.

Are you a credible resource?

Do you actually have something to say that is real, relevant and of value? In today's world, one of the currencies that is most valued is relevance. You need to be someone who walks their talk to earn that credibility.

Are you consistent and reliable?

People only have so much "connection currency." So they don't want to waste it by introducing the world (or their contacts) to someone who is wishy washy or doesn't honor their promises. If I help set up a meeting between two people and one of them cancels at the last minute or is a no show…some of that bad karma rubs off on me.

Are you real?

If your personal brand is something you put on and take off like a hat — why would someone run the risk of exposing you to their network? There are many posers (as Steve Farber calls them) out there. Don't be one of them.

Are you grateful?

When someone goes out of their way to feature you on their blog or use one of their connections to help you — do you say thank you? Do you look for ways you can return the favor? Do you make them look good by treating that gesture as a gift rather than an obligation or entitlement?

There you have it. If you want others to help introduce you and your personal brand to the world…be the kind of person who makes that easy and enjoyable!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

More

Is a chilly reception part of your brand?

October 12, 2009

This weekend, my daughter and I embarked on the first of what no doubt will be many college visits. We headed up to MN to visit my mom and check out one of the schools on her short list, St. Olaf.

We got there early, which was fortuitous because of three colliding factors.

It had unexpectedly snowed the night before
We had only packed clothes with short sleeves
The walking tour of the campus was scheduled for an hour

So while she got us checked in, I ran over to the campus bookstore. I got there around 9:40 and according to the signage, it opened at 10. The exact time the admissions presentation was starting. There were two middle-aged women inside the store, bustling about, putting cash drawers in the registers, etc.

Meanwhile, I am lurking at the door.

They straightened the t-shirt table. They re-arranged a pumpkin display.

Meanwhile, I am pacing outside the door.

Did I mention the incredible lengths they went to, just to avoid making eye contact? You see, the store walls were floor to ceiling glass, so they couldn't really miss me.

At exactly 10 am on the dot, they meandered over to the door and unlocked it. I scooted past them with a hurried hello and rushed to the St. Olaf logo-wear, which of course, I had been eying for the past 20 minutes.

I grabbed the heaviest sweatshirts I could find and literally 4 minutes after walking in the door, I was at the register, ready to check out. My guess is…this is not how their average customer behaves.

The clerk rang me up and while she was keying in the amounts, I asked her if she might have a scissors I could borrow to cut off the tags. She looked at me and asked, "oh, are you going to wear these now?"

I laughed and pointed to my short sleeved shirt. I told her I was there with my daughter, on a campus tour and we hadn't packed for the weather. She looked at me like I was a moron and handed me the scissors.

No, "welcome to St. Olaf" or "you're going to love the XYZ" or "be sure to check out the ABC."

From the get -go of ignoring me outside the doors to the final kiss off, these two women could not have been less welcoming.

From what I've seen so far, St. Olaf has a pretty aggressive recruitment strategy. Plenty of expensive, four-color mailings, lots of personal attention, etc.

All with the solitary goal of making students and their parents feel like St. Olaf might be home for the next four years. Guess which employees left the most lasting impression on me, the guy who will be footing the bill?

I think this happens every day in companies across the globe. Marketing and other C-level people invest hours and dollars exploring and defining their brand. Only to have it completely violated by one of their own teammates.

How do you know that everyone in your organization not only understands your brand…but is motivated to deliver it? Are you sure?

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

More

A nickname does not make you more cool

September 30, 2009

I remember a Disney (made for TV) film that my daughter used to enjoy. It was about this nerdy kid named Charlie. He lamented his lack of coolness, so he decided to re-invent himself. Cooler clothes, a new, cool haircut but the lynch pin to his plan was the nickname. Chaz.

All of a sudden, Charlie (as Chaz) exuded cool.

Of course, you can guess how it ended. Chaz became the darling of the school but when he was exposed as a fraud, he learned two valuable lessons. You can't fake cool and in the end…you are who and what you are.

I wish I had a DVD of this movie. You know who I'd send it to? The CMOs of Radio Shack and Walgreens.

Radio Shack, a very uncool brand, has decided to slap on some cool by asking us to call them "The Shack." So many problems with this, it's staggering.

When you hear "The Shack" who or what do you think of? (either the basketball player or the book)
Even if you bought into nickname, the stores are still the same — packed to the gills with wires, switches, and gizmos. The Apple Store is cool. Radio Shack…not so much.
Radio Shack already has a very entrenched brand…and it isn't about being cool!

In the same vein, Walgreens has recently re-branded their private label products. You used to be able to buy Walgreens shampoo but now…it's W shampoo. Yes…that does make me forget that it's generic.

Again…nothing they do is going to make Walgreens cool. We don't really need or want Walgreens to be cool.

We want them to be open 24 hours/day.

We want them to stock most prescriptions so we can call and then pick it up an hour later.

We even want them to keep a good supply of Haagen Dazs ice cream so we can rush up there at 11 pm and pay an exorbitant price…because we need it now!

We don't need Radio Shack or Walgreen's to be cool. And in fact, we won't let them be cool. No matter how cool their nickname might be.

The lesson here for us marketing types? A brand is not something you manufacture. It doesn't come from your name or your logo. It comes from within. It is born out of who you actually are. No matter how cool your nickname might be.

More

Another American Girl blunder?

September 24, 2009

You might remember the American Girl PR nightmare from spring of '07 when a mommy blogger wrote a scorching letter to AG because they refused to do her daughter's non-AG doll's hair — teaching her a have and have not life lesson of epic proportions. This story ended up on many major news shows and creating a huge hullabaloo all over the internet.

Interestingly, AG chose not to respond to the situation. (I do believe the individual store reached out to make amends.) Now, I suspect they are about to end up back in the spotlight…and we'll see how the public reacts.

American Girl released some new dolls (as they do on a regular basis) and one of them is Gwen Thompson. Like all of the AG dolls, Gwen comes complete with a book about her life. But here's the twist. This doll, which retails for $95, is homeless.

In a stereotypical fashion, Gwen's story is that her father abandoned the family and Gwen's mom subsequently lost her job. They now live in a car.

Her clothes are not tattered or dirty. She's not tattered or dirty. She goes to school and is friends with another AG doll, Chrissa. I am sure there are some homeless kids who can maintain personal hygiene and school, but really — how many?

Somehow to me, it seems a bit obscene to sell homeless dolls for a C-note. Especially, if we're not really telling the truth about what being homeless is all about. I'm guessing the mommy bloggers are going to have a field day with this.

But (of course) I think there's also a branding issue here. American Girl is making a lot of money on these dolls. More power to them, I say. There's nothing wrong with creating a product that people are willing to pay a premium for. That's one of the reasons branding matters. And many of their dolls face challenges (the depression, bullying — you name it) but somehow this feels different. It feels a little dirty.

In a blog announcing this batch of new dolls, notice how all the other dolls come with plenty of accessories. Furniture, craft tables, changes of clothes, etc. Chrissa even has a pet llama. But, Gwen comes has no add-ons.

It will be interesting to see if AG decides to jump into the fray on this one. It would be so simple to fix…donate a portion of Gwen's sales to homeless shelters or a children's charity. Or use their position to teach their young patrons about compassion and community action by organizing them to make a difference and fight homelessness together.

But somehow, I have a feeling that's just not going to happen. I wonder why many believe their brand is about entitlement?

More

Leave your brand alone!

September 21, 2009

Picture this. You have created a relevant brand-centric tagline that your customers parrot, the marketplace recognizes and your competitors covet. You have reached the holy grail of marketing — you have embedded your marketing message into the minds of the consumer.

Your research shows that believability and recall for your product and the associated tagline are incredibly high. This tagline and the fact that you keep the tagline's promise catapults you to a leadership position in your product category.

What should you do now?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Why is it so hard for companies to leave a good thing alone? Well, typically when an organization walks away from a rock solid, consumer celebrated tagline one of a few things has happened:

The organization recently hired a new head of marketing.
The organization recently hired a new agency.
Internally, they're bored with the current tagline.

Several years ago, watchmaker Timex dropped its famous "Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking" tagline for the incredibly bland "Timex. Life is Ticking." They made this decision despite the fact that "Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking" was ranked #40 on Ad Age's list of the top 100 ad campaign of the 20th century.

Why would they do something so dumb? They hired a new Chief Marketing Officer of course. He has since left that position. And their current tagline? "Timex. Be there now."

How sad is that?

More

How long will it take to get marketing results?

September 16, 2009

We get asked this question all the time. Prospects and clients alike want to know when they can expect to see results from their marketing efforts. Ah, if only it were that cut and dried.

There are many factors that influence reaction time to a marketing tactic. Let’s take a look at a few of them and you’ll begin to see that this is not an exact science but there are things you can do to impact your effectiveness.

How often do people need/want it? If you run a restaurant or sell ice cream – you’re in luck. Mail a coupon on Tuesday and you might see the family, coupon in hand, by Saturday. But on average, someone buys a car every 3-5 years. Own a car dealership and you might wait 18+ months after your first ad or tweet to see that person in your door.

Who the heck are you? Does the consumer recognize your brand? Do they know what you are all about? Do they know what makes you different from your competitors?

Who else is talking? Just like at a party, if you are the only voice talking, it’s a lot easier to be heard. But, if you are one of many and others are talking louder and faster – you can easily get lost in the din.

Where are you talking? What would happen if you stood up right in the middle of a church service and started talking? You’d get noticed, wouldn’t you? That’s because you are doing something unexpected in an unexpected place.

What are you saying? The most important factor of all. Are you talking about what the consumer cares about or are you talking about you?

How are you poised to influence any or all of these factors?

(If you want to read a really smart book on the topic of consumers and their own sense of timing, check out Stopwatch Marketing by John Rosen.)

More

Collapse of distinction – is it safe to be the same as everyone else?

August 8, 2009

Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain is kind of a "playbook" for businesses. This book reminds you that being good at what you do isn't enough to be successful. Scott McKain maintains that the best way to be successful is to stand out. I know this is not new ground. But the structure and stories in the book are worth reading.

Creating a company of distinction must be an integral part of every action your company takes or chooses not to take. McKain reminds us that it must be embedded in the company from the vision to the execution. It is not a separate function.

McKain starts out by explaining the phenomenon of a sea of sameness that so many companies today are guilty of. He explains three things that destroy differentiation, and goes on to talk about what does not work if you're trying to differentiate yourself. I'll be curious to see what you think of his thoughts in this arena.

There are three levels of differentiation according to the book:

Level one, sameness, is when you are indistinguishable from your competition.
When a company reaches level two, differentiation, they have traits that separate them from their competition.
But, it is when a business reaches level three, distinction, that you become #1 in your field.

This idea reminds me of Joe Calloway's Becoming a Category of One (which I loved). I also noticed that Calloway was one of the people who endorsed this book.

Every chapter ends with an executive summary of what you've just read, which not only makes it easy to retain the information, but convenient to go back and look something up afterward. He also ends each summary with a list of action steps, questions, and ideas, which help to apply his principles to your own business.

Is this book filled with earth-shattering new information? Nope. But can you learn something? You bet. Unless of course, your business is already in a category of its own. Check out the book here.

More

Get a free copy of Personal Branding Magazine

August 1, 2009

The latest issue of Dan Schawbel's magazine Personal Branding has hit the streets (figuratively!) and you can get a free sample copy by clicking here.

In this issue, you'll find:

Full paid issue (August 1st): 28 articles total covering information and advice related to dominating your niche and building your brand.
Sample issue: 8 articles total, including how to become the #1 resource in your field and how to become an A-list star.
Interviews with: Evander Holyfield, Abiola Abrams, Ken Blanchard, Melanie Notkin and Steve Strauss

Enjoy the good reads!

More