Lazy marketers use common cliches and sloppy, meaningless, or even misleading statements in building their brands. What many don't realize is that the best and most memorable brands are presented in a way that is both undeniably honest and strongly marketable.
The honest approach involves spending time discovering your company's core value and understanding why people connect to it, then basing your marketing on these findings. The opposite approach is to figure out what kind of companies the public likes and then portraying yours as one of them, whether it's true or not.
It can be tempting to use strong language and ambiguous words: Ames Rubber "Excellence through total quality", or Western Airlines "The only way to fly". "Excellence" is very subjective and if Western Airlines is truly the only way to fly, what happens when we want to travel outside their route map? The goal should always be a clear statement that positions the company and gives the customer what they're looking for.
Something like the "Got Milk?" campaign. Why did "Got Milk" work? Honesty.
Previous campaigns pitched milk as something to drink after a run, similar to Gatorade. Who drinks milk after a workout? Thick and creamy is the last thing you need! "Got Milk" focused on the real cravings - like chocolate chip cookies.
Here's real-life example: there's a little restaurant in Gastown called Pourhouse and one of their desserts is made-to-order chocolate chip cookies with the option of a 'shot of milk'. Do you think milk is on the menu because they were attracted by the ad campaign? Or because milk and cookies are a natural combination?
"Got Milk" achieved perfect honesty in two words, but it's the accuracy of the message rather than the length that's important. Each company is unique. If you have been turning a profit for multiple years, there's probably a spark of greatness within your walls. This is something to be proud of, so is it worth trivializing your brand to use a cliché and unqualified "we are the best"-type statement?
If your answer is "no", then where do you begin?
Forget social media! Yes, I actually said that. Forget websites, blogs, and viral video campaigns – at least for now. Start by honestly evaluating who you are, what you do, and why the public should care. Don't become enamoured with dreams of who you think you are and what you want to become. And be open minded - your findings may be unexpected. Achieving a realistic understanding of your company's true value and capabilities is the first step towards devising a clear, decisive strategy that puts you on track to reach your long-term goals.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Create a detailed timeline of your company. From day one to today.
- Isolate what makes money and what doesn't.
- Study what has and has not worked.
- Spend time with each team member and clearly understand what they see and what they want.
- Look at the good, the bad and the ugly. If you only focus on the good you run the risk of overlooking something important and repeating a mistake from the past.
- Don't be afraid to get outside help! It's hard to be objective when you're inside the company. Branding and strategy agencies specialize in this task.
