branding

There's a law in physics which states that every reaction has some kind of opposite reaction. It seems to apply to top ten lists as well. From the Branding for Dummies book here are the Top Ten Branding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them.

1. Thinking of branding as a quick fix. Well. Actually branding is pretty fast in the world of cattle. But branding in marketing comes from the inside of your business out. They're not like the brands that are applied in the Wild West.
2. Starting with a weak identity. The visual kind of identity that is. In this mistake you start with a lousy tattoo design and think it's going to get better when it's permanently inked on your body. (Hint: it won't.)
3. Forgetting the rule of one. That's right: branding is for hobbits too. No wait, that was the ring to rule them all. It's sort of the same in the world of marketing: don't dilute your brand, your talents and your offerings. Stay focused and do what you do really well.
4. Failing to differentiate. Explain to your consumer how you are different and why that's good. Don't make people guess.
5. Failing to launch. Forget the pomp and circumstance. Be. Your. Brand. Remember that a brand is a promise to the consumer. Live and breathe that promise.
6. Failing to protect and defend. And if it gets to that point I know a really great IP lawyer.
7. Believe that what you say is more important than what you do. Do I even need to add a witty remark to this one? Probably not.
8. Underestimating the value of consistency. Do you see how they're really hammering home this point? It's possible the top ten mistakes was only really a top five.
9. Asking your brand to stretch too far. See also: #3.
10. Ignoring brand aging signs. This isn't just a note to aging hippies and VCR owners, but also includes points on company mergers and acquisitions. Perhaps a little too large of a problem for your business, unless you're still making Web sites with frames and flash intros.

It's official. I've read (or at least skimmed) for the first time ever (as far as I can remember)...a book for Dummies. Everything about the "brand" irks me. So with irony not at all lost on me, I checked Branding for Dummies out of the library. If this book has taught me anything it's this: branding is promise a company keeps with its consumers. Skipping over all the useful bits, here are the highlights from Chapter 20: Ten Truths about Branding.

1. Branding starts with positioning. And positioning is the process of finding an unmet "want" (or "need") in the consumer's mind and then providing a "solution" which is distinct and ideally suited to the consumer.
2. A brand is a promise well kept. There's an entire chapter dedicated to "your promise." This chapter was the most useful for me as it presented information in a unique (and somewhat obvious) way.
3. Branding happens from the inside out. Blah blah blah mission statement, visions statement blah blah.
4. Consistency builds brand. Consumers do not measure you just on the look and tone of your brand, but also on the consistency of quality. One bad shopping experience with your store is going to rank higher in memory than all the good ones combined.
5. People power brands. You need brand champions. Start with your staff, but then look to your consumer to champion your brand.
6. Brands live in consumers' minds. Regardless of reality your customer's imagination and their beliefs about your brand will influence ow your customer thinks and buys.
7. Brand names unlock brand images. Your brand name should be obvious. It should also be easy to say. (Insert comments here about niche markets and language and whether it's no-keee-ah or knock-ee-ah.)
8. Brand experiences trump brand messages. Blah blah be the brand blah blah if your store sucks it doesn't matter how much you spend on advertising because you suck. Blah blah be awesome.
9. Brands need to start and stay relevant. Don't use frames on your Web site. (Actually it doesn't say that, but it would be funny if it did. Well funny to me.)
10. Brands are valuable assets. And also the topic of this book. But not to be ignored because brands have economic benefits including: premium pricing, lower costs of promotion, higher market share, higher recognition by consumers, industry leaders, media and investors.

And there you have it. The Top Ten Truths about Branding brought to you by Branding for Dummies. Even if you don't think you want this book as part of your permanent marketing reference library, stop by your local library and through it. You may find some bits of truth that you already knew but didn't have the words to describe.