Last week we started a discussion on a topic I normally don’t talk too much about, branding. But there are ways to use branding effectively while still adhering to our direct response marketing rules. We’ve covered them in two separate blog posts. See the first one here and our most recent discussion here for your review. Today we’ll talk about the last two ways to use branding
the right way in your business.
Thanks to Dan Kennedy for allowing me to share his thoughts on branding with direct response marketing.
When you do develop brand identity, develop a ‘customer culture’ with it so your brand is theirs. Think Starbucks or Disney. The customers are part of something, not just people being sold to. But, whatever you do, DON’T blindly copy big companies advertising practices. Very, very carefully learn from the very few smart ones, like Disney. But remember they are playing in a different
league with different rules and different means of keeping score… as example, you may keep score by profit white they must keep score by stock price. And they have more resources than you do.
For most small businesses, personal branding is far superior to corporate/Business branding. People prefer to do business with other people rather than nameless, faceless institutions. Put yourself out there! If you’re looking to learn more on personal branding,I highly suggest you look into Kennedy’s How to Create Personality in Copy.
It’s an in-depth presentation, by Dan Kennedy, about creating rapid, responsive fans… i.e. customers for life… by carefully, painstakingly developing yourself as a heroic, fascinating and unique “character” with whom your customers have a continually evolving relationship.Get more information here, and in the search bar on the top of the page, search for “How to Create Personality in Copy.”
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Not the Golden Arches
Last we started on a topic that I’m sure surprised a few of you. We talked about branding. No, not like golden arches, or swooshes, but in ways most small businesses can actually accomplish it. To review, see the blog below.
Before we get going, I want to restate a very important idea from the last post. You need a very carefully selected target niche or sub-culture that your message(s) resonate with. This is critical. A brand, or brand identity is a recognized symbol that represents and calls to mind WHAT you and your business are about, but it’s all moot if you don’t have a specific WHO in mind. For more on the WHO in your business, see this blog post from a few weeks ago.
Further, don’t confuse ‘brand identity’ with logo and slogans, color schemes, etc. These are simply devices used to convey or support you brand identity. Brand identity is first and foremost about your ideas. These ‘representative things’ are a distant second. For a book relevant to this topic, check out “Made to Stick” at Amazon.
Lastly, don’t mix-up your brand identity with your unique selling proposition (USP). A USP answers the question: Why should I, your client, choose to do business with you versus any and every other option available to me?
(Thanks to Dan Kennedy for providing that gem on a USP. If you’re not yet receiving Dan’s No BS Marketing Newsletter and you’re in any way responsible for your businesses marketing, you absolutely must. Fix that here) Next week I’ll show you the type of branding you really should be involved in as a small business owner. I think you’ll really like it. Until then, keep on marketing!
Before we get going, I want to restate a very important idea from the last post. You need a very carefully selected target niche or sub-culture that your message(s) resonate with. This is critical. A brand, or brand identity is a recognized symbol that represents and calls to mind WHAT you and your business are about, but it’s all moot if you don’t have a specific WHO in mind. For more on the WHO in your business, see this blog post from a few weeks ago.
Further, don’t confuse ‘brand identity’ with logo and slogans, color schemes, etc. These are simply devices used to convey or support you brand identity. Brand identity is first and foremost about your ideas. These ‘representative things’ are a distant second. For a book relevant to this topic, check out “Made to Stick” at Amazon.
Lastly, don’t mix-up your brand identity with your unique selling proposition (USP). A USP answers the question: Why should I, your client, choose to do business with you versus any and every other option available to me?
(Thanks to Dan Kennedy for providing that gem on a USP. If you’re not yet receiving Dan’s No BS Marketing Newsletter and you’re in any way responsible for your businesses marketing, you absolutely must. Fix that here) Next week I’ll show you the type of branding you really should be involved in as a small business owner. I think you’ll really like it. Until then, keep on marketing!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Branding?
Earlier in the week we wrapping up our series on the 7 most powerful words and phrases you can use in your marketing. See all 7 at the blog. Today, we’re moving on to a different subject, and I can hear some of you gasping right now…. BRANDING.
I know you loyal readers are probably saying, “Travis is anti-branding!” And to a certain extent, I am. But hear me out during this and future emails. I think you’ll be surprised and what I am talking about.
First off, I’m all for creating and working on a name-brand identity and recognition for yourself and your business. BUT, and it’s a big BUT, do it as a by-product and bonus of a solid, accountable, profitable, direct-response advertising and marketing. You’ll want to avoid buying it outright such as with big, dumb corporate image marketing.
Dan Kennedy refers to this as the “Direct Marketing diet,” in his book, No BS Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses. If you like the kind of marketing I give in these tips, this is required reading. Get it here at Amazon.
Next, when you do create a brand for you and your business, do it where it counts, with a carefully selected target niche or sub-culture marketing. Small enough that you can have impact with whatever resources you have, defined narrowly enough that you can create a compelling message for it.
A giant market is only good for someone with a giant ad budget. As Dan says in his book mentioned above, “You don’t want to spend your time peeing in the ocean.” A great example of this is Michael Gerber’s E-Myth series. Sure, Gerber sacrifices corporate American, and likely will never get 5,000 copies snapped up by Intel, but he’s created a nice little niche with small business owners and those who want to start their own businesses. That’s it for this post. Have a great week!
One item that is becoming increasingly popular lately is our message-in-a-bottle mailer. If you’re looking for a way to cut the clutter, this is definitely one way to go.
The bottom of the plastic bottle comes off for easy access. Simply remove the bottom, roll up your letter and insert it! Put the bottom back on, slap the address label on, add postage and drop it in the mail. It’s that simple. Or, we can do it all for you! Just give me a call about complete implementation for you. Your letter has to end up on the top of your customer’s
stack of mail, and who could possibly resist opening the bottle and reading your letter?
A few tips when using this item. First, you don’t need to put this bottle into a box; you simply mail the bottle “as is.” You’ll want to use a 2” x 4” mailing label or smaller for the recipient’s address, and add your postage stamps or metered tape to the bottle as well. We’re finding that response is not affected when using a metered stamp, so use whichever one is easier for
you to implement.
Second, your prospect will be opening the bottom of the bottle, NOT the top. I always like to put a message on label that reads, “Twist Bottom to Open.” It may be obvious to you, but not to your prospect!
Get 30% off The Message in a Bottle Now Through Aug. 31st. Check out the discounted pricing here, and be sure to check out the video on that page for more tips on using the message in a bottle for maximum success.
I know you loyal readers are probably saying, “Travis is anti-branding!” And to a certain extent, I am. But hear me out during this and future emails. I think you’ll be surprised and what I am talking about.
First off, I’m all for creating and working on a name-brand identity and recognition for yourself and your business. BUT, and it’s a big BUT, do it as a by-product and bonus of a solid, accountable, profitable, direct-response advertising and marketing. You’ll want to avoid buying it outright such as with big, dumb corporate image marketing.
Dan Kennedy refers to this as the “Direct Marketing diet,” in his book, No BS Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses. If you like the kind of marketing I give in these tips, this is required reading. Get it here at Amazon.
Next, when you do create a brand for you and your business, do it where it counts, with a carefully selected target niche or sub-culture marketing. Small enough that you can have impact with whatever resources you have, defined narrowly enough that you can create a compelling message for it.
A giant market is only good for someone with a giant ad budget. As Dan says in his book mentioned above, “You don’t want to spend your time peeing in the ocean.” A great example of this is Michael Gerber’s E-Myth series. Sure, Gerber sacrifices corporate American, and likely will never get 5,000 copies snapped up by Intel, but he’s created a nice little niche with small business owners and those who want to start their own businesses. That’s it for this post. Have a great week!
Marketing Tip Reader’s Only Special - Get 30% off The Message in a Bottle Now Through Aug. 31st, one of our best sellers!
One item that is becoming increasingly popular lately is our message-in-a-bottle mailer. If you’re looking for a way to cut the clutter, this is definitely one way to go.
The bottom of the plastic bottle comes off for easy access. Simply remove the bottom, roll up your letter and insert it! Put the bottom back on, slap the address label on, add postage and drop it in the mail. It’s that simple. Or, we can do it all for you! Just give me a call about complete implementation for you. Your letter has to end up on the top of your customer’s
stack of mail, and who could possibly resist opening the bottle and reading your letter?
A few tips when using this item. First, you don’t need to put this bottle into a box; you simply mail the bottle “as is.” You’ll want to use a 2” x 4” mailing label or smaller for the recipient’s address, and add your postage stamps or metered tape to the bottle as well. We’re finding that response is not affected when using a metered stamp, so use whichever one is easier for
you to implement.
Second, your prospect will be opening the bottom of the bottle, NOT the top. I always like to put a message on label that reads, “Twist Bottom to Open.” It may be obvious to you, but not to your prospect!
Get 30% off The Message in a Bottle Now Through Aug. 31st. Check out the discounted pricing here, and be sure to check out the video on that page for more tips on using the message in a bottle for maximum success.
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