Building a Brand Platform

Is Your Brand Bland or Grand? Brand Checkup: Examine, Diagnose, Treat Presented by Debbie Elliott Talk, Inc. www.talkinc.com

A History Lesson
First used in 2700 BC to distinguish whose cow belonged to whom.
Branding came to the New World in 1541 when Cortez imported Spanish cattle stamped with his trademark brand of 3 crosses.
Livestock brands have a distinct, readable language. The ability to read them is known as “callin’ the brand.”

The 4 Eras of Branding
Identifying livestock
Industrial revolution enabled shipping of goods; products branded to prevent pirating.
In post-war 1950’s, an overabundance of goods required branding to differentiate products; modern marketing was born.
Experience Economy Consumers seek positive experiences via the products they buy.

What is a Brand?

What is a Brand?
A brand is a conversation. It is how people talk about your company when you are not in the room.

Find Your Voice
If a brand is a conversation, it’s imperative that you take the time to define your brand language - Find Your Voice .

Promise + Experience
Marketers use their voice to make a promise about what consumers can expect from their brand. Delivering on that promise creates a brand experience.

There’s More. . .
As well as being a promise , a successful brand has
a unique personality
competitive advantage in the marketplace.
A brand is established by delivering on this promise via
a unique personality
well-developed positioning
relevant consumer experience.
Consistent delivery of this promise and experience reinforces the brand and builds brand strength and reach.
Managing Your Brand, 7 Steps to Creating Your Most Successful Self.

What Makes a Brand Successful?
A strong Brand Platform comprised of five pillars.

Brand Platform
Mission
Vision
Values
Personality
Positioning

Mission Statement
A mission statement describes a company’s fundamental purpose.
Why do we exist?

Mission Statement
The 5 whys method
Start with: We educate students.
Then ask: Why is this important? five times to get down to the fundamental purpose of your organization.

Vision Statement
A vision statement describes a company’s dreams and hopes for the future.
Where do we want to go?

Vision Statement
BHAG -- Big Hairy Audacious Goal to achieve in 2 to 10 years
Clear, compelling, catalyst
Vivid Description of what it would be like to achieve that goal
Translating the vision from words to pictures and images.

Core Values
Core values are principles that guide employees’ conduct with internal and external audiences.
What do we stand for?

Core Values
Determine core values independent of the current environment, competition, or management fads.
Intrinsic value to those inside the organization
3 to 5 is plenty
Values don’t need to be likable or humanistic
A company should not change its core values to meet market conditions. It should change markets to align with core values.

Brand Personality
What human personality traits define your brand’s core attributes?
.
What are we like?

Brand Personality
Personification of the brand
Builds brand equity
Sets the brand attitude
Informs look and feel of marketing
Demographics - age, gender, race
If your brand was a celebrity, who would it be?

Brand Positioning
A positioning statement is a succinct description of how your brand meets your customers’ needs in a way that provides real value and is not easily replicated by competitors .

Brand Positioning
Focuses your marketing strategy by acting as a barometer for marketing decisions.
Guides decisions on how to promote the brand -- how well does it support the positioning?

Brand Positioning
The four elements of a positioning state-
ment include:
Target audience
Business description
Points of differentiation
Credibility - reason to believe

Brand Positioning
Template for a positioning statement:
For ( target audience ), Medical Practice is the ( business description ) that delivers ( points of differentiation ) because only medical practice ( reason to believe ).

Brand Positioning
Sample positioning statement:
For ( businesses in the Carolinas ), Talk is a ( communications agency that helps companies grow and mitigate threats ) by ( identifying each company’s unique voice and carrying it into the marketplace ) because only Talk ( has a proven and proprietary 4-step process ).

The Conversation Has Changed
Increased globalization
Ubiquity of the Internet
Advancing technologies have changed how people receive and perceive information
The sales process has moved from mass appeal to one-on-one experience
Companies now have direct conversations with consumers via Internet, podcasts, webinars, etc.

Brand Experience
A positive brand experience is the #1 criteria for sustainable business success.
As the conversation has become more intimate, people expect a more intimate experience with your organization.
To deliver a consistent, positive brand experience, the brand must speak in a consistent voice that truly reflects your organization.

Where Do We Go From Here?
Host a brand workshop with leadership to create a brand platform
Communicate that platform throughout your organization
Make sure the platform permeates the organization
Use the platform to guide your marketing
Find your voice and start Talking!

Talk, Inc.
www.talkinc.com
910-371-9770
Cell: 910-471-3181
[email_address]

Building a Brand Platform

by Debbie Elliott

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