Branding Cures Several Marketing Headaches
Are you trying to attract business with a no-name, no-differences-from-competitors company identity? Branding your company, when done well, not only helps you stand out in a field of similar choices, it also helps you avoid price-shoppers and deliver results to customers that inspire loyalty. Here’s why.
Headache #1: Competitors all seem the same
Put yourself in the mindset of a customer and go shopping for a company that provides what you sell. Do all the options seem …
Business Names Do Matter, Norm Brodsky
In the November 2005 issue of Inc. magazine, Norm Brodsky wrote: “Your company’s name plays little, if any, role in determining your success.”
I agree completely that a company with a bad or mediocre name can reach success. However, here are 10 reasons why coming up with a snappy, interesting and memorable name is worth the business owner’s or organization’s time and energy.
1. When you call or speak with strangers and mention the name of your company, and the name in…
Exploit Your Brand To The Fullest
A brand goes beyond a company name and tagline. It is a complete personality or set of values, sometimes even a story line, along with repeated visual, auditory and behavioral elements. When you decide to invest in creating a brand, follow these guidelines to ensure that you get your money’s worth:
1. Be distinctive. You’ll land your company in expensive legal hot water if you attempt to steal or encroach on another company’s identity. Apart from legalities, you tend to ge…
For Business Names And Tag Lines, Popularity Shouldn’t Rule
Don’t turn your search for the perfect name or tag line into a popularity contest! Two instances of this have crossed my path recently.
First, someone I know asked people to vote on the best title for a forthcoming book. That’s unwise, because what people say they like in a book title:
* Doesn’t necessarily distinguish the book from others
* Isn’t necessarily clear, spellable and free of negative connotations
* Doesn’t mean those who are the best audience for the boo…
New Business Names: Naming With A Story
Sometimes a company name communicates a message on its own, and sometimes the story underlying the name adds depth and distinction to that message.
Isis Group International, for instance, uses the name of an Egyptian goddess in a word combination that comes across well to the ear and looks great in an artfully designed arrangement of fonts, shapes and colors.
The tag line clarifies what the firm does: Training and Cons…
The Benefits Of Branding
Branding is the process of creating distinctive and durable perceptions in the minds of consumers. A brand is a persistent, unique business identity intertwined with associations of personality, quality, origin, liking and more. Here’s why the effort to brand your company or yourself pays off.
1. Memorability. A brand serves as a convenient container for a reputation and good will. It’s hard for customers to go back to “that whatsitsname store” or to refer business to “th…