1. Catalyst: Putting the POW! in Power Branding: The Sequel http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs071/1100671039235/archive/11103...
ABOUT THE MARX GROUP | CATALYST ARCHIVES | CASE STUDIES | OUR TEAM | CONTACT US
July 2012 Issue No. 93
Did You Miss Part 1?
Click Here to View our
Previous Article on
Power Branding
Part 2: The Five Forces, Revealed Everybody loves a
In order to become a true powerhouse, your brand needs to embody superhero. It's no accident
superhero properties. As we explored in our previous Catalyst (click that these dynamic
here to read the article), this is only possible if you heed the Five characters create the kind of
Forces of Power Branding. excitement that rakes in the
big bucks. For a perfect
example, look no further
Five Ways to Add Superpowers to your Company
than the recent
release...read more.
The first force of branding is your POSITION. This creates perceptions
about your company both within and among your target audience and
their influencers. Your position will set you apart from your competition
and is perhaps the most important of the Five Forces.
Position is something that you build very carefully and deliberately.
Think of it as a structure with a foundation, pillars and superstructures.
At the base are your company's Core Values. Everything you do as a
business arises from them. Core values for most companies include
such things as honesty and trust. They might also include excellence
Tom Marx to Bust
and unflinching self-examination. Or they might revolve around the
customer experience, embracing strengths such as compassion,
Marketing Myths
flexibility and empathy. During CAWA
Presentation
Next you have your Brand Pillars, which are the most important
attributes and principles that you want your brand to communicate. Are On Friday, July 13, Tom
you faster than a speeding bullet (at delivering products)? More Marx, president and CEO of
powerful than a locomotive (in supporting your customers)? Able to fill The Marx Group, will
tall orders in a single bound? These Brand Pillars are what hold up your present "Marketing
structure. Mythbusting 101 - What
Distributors Really Want
Your company's Mission Statement - which is basically a summation Manufacturers to Know"
of your company's purpose - arises out of your brand pillars. It might be during the 2012 California
your mission to carry the single most complete product line in your Automotive Wholesalers
niche or incorporate the latest leading-edge technology into all your
1 of 4 7/9/2012 4:51 PM

2. Catalyst: Putting the POW! in Power Branding: The Sequel http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs071/1100671039235/archive/11103...
products. Perhaps your company's mission is to provide the best
customer service on the planet, or to make products with no Association (CAWA)
comebacks. Leadership Meetings.
This brings us to your Unique Selling Proposition - the things about
Click Here For More
your brand or products that make you stand out from the competition.
Details
Do you have super marketing powers? X-ray vision into consumer
demand? Or maybe your products are the least expensive, the easiest
to use, or the most highly engineered in the galaxy. Ideally, these
Unique Selling Propositions arise out of your company mission.
All these attributes are of little use if you don't communicate them
effectively. You do this via your Key Messages. Key messages are
what you want your audience to hear and remember about your
company and its products or services. Key messages are important but
can be tricky to narrow down. It's tempting to try to communicate
everything there is to know about your company or product, but that's
more than most of your audience can absorb. The key is to keep the
messages brief, powerful and on target.
The second force of branding is the PROMISE you make to your
customers. People love superheroes because they know what to expect,
which makes it easy to believe in them. What are your promises to your Visit us on LinkedIn:
customers? Are you able to keep them? Nothing will drive customers
away faster than broken promises. Make sure your promises are Tom Marx
realistic and desirable to your audience. For example, your product will Kerri Petersen
be easy to install. Or your customers will get on-time delivery. Or there Leslie Allen
are no lower prices on comparable products this side of the planet Gary McCoy
Xenon. Gloria Medina
Christine LeMay
The third force is PERSONALITY. Have you ever seen a superhero Craig Martinez
without a personality? Even Clark Kent had an alter ego. Every company
also has a personality, a way they present themselves to the world.
Your personality is your company's voice. Make sure you don't
undermine it unintentionally with your actions.
The fourth force is STORY. It might seem odd to think that a corporate
entity needs a narrative context. But there's no better example of how a
story engenders customer loyalty than those comic book heroes we
considered at the start. A story gives a company dimension and context.
Become a FAN of
Your story - where you come from, how you got here, where you're
The Marx Group
headed - sets the stage for what you want to communicate. A
cartoonist can drop a few frames onto a page and make an impact
because everyone is already in on the story. A company can do the
same.
Finally, we come to ELEMENTS. If your personality is your voice, your
brand elements are your face. They present a complete (and hopefully Need a marketing expert to
consistent) picture of your brand wherever you go. Brand elements provide insider insight about
include your logo, icon and tagline, corporate colors and all those the automotive and
marketing tactics in your toolkit, from website to signs, to collateral, heavy-duty aftermarket
news releases, packaging and everything else that is face-forward to industry? Please submit your
your audience. Like a superhero's cape and tights, the elements must question.
be functional, look good together, and have consistency.
2 of 4 7/9/2012 4:51 PM

3. Catalyst: Putting the POW! in Power Branding: The Sequel http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs071/1100671039235/archive/11103...
Improving the Equity of YOUR Brand
You may consider a multi-million dollar manufacturing plant or huge
fleet of delivery vehicles your largest assets, but your company's brand
equity is equally important, if not more so. Having a visible, well-known
and trusted brand can increase your sales, help you generate more cash
flow and improve your profits. When it's time to sell, brand equity
figures into the equation as surely as real estate. It can also bring more
attention to your company's flaws, which is why it is important to have
a foundation of core values, and stick to them.
Brand equity is created every time you communicate with the world,
whether through advertising, public relations, your website or
educational channels. A consistent brand image is important; it is critical
to make sure that every employee is trained in your core values,
messaging and personality.
Brand equity depends on three things:
1. AWARENESS. This is built by successfully deploying the five
forces of branding.
2. CREDIBILITY. A credible company delivers on its promises.
3. AUTHORITY AND LEADERSHIP. These refer to the extent to
which your audience believes in you as a leader, and turns to you
for knowledge and expertise.
Are you Ready for Power Branding?
Making your brand profitable doesn't have to be a superhuman task. If
you can sell your products at a competitive price (not necessarily the
lowest) and add value (such as better locations, faster service,
professional installation, etc.), you've got what it takes to build
customer loyalty and brand equity. Add that to the Five Forces, and
you're well on the way to building brand equity and a supersized future.
Kapow!!
Marketing Communications & Business Strategists
The Marx Group is a team of
marketing and sales strategists,
creative directors, media experts,
account managers, graphic
designers, copywriters, web
developers, PR specialists, and experienced business minds in the
Automotive, Heavy Duty and Commercial Vehicle Aftermarket. We have
over 30 years of experience in the industry, a solid network of
relationships, as well as media expertise to drive sales, attain press
coverage, and transform the way the world sees the companies we work
with. By anchoring our approach first with a strong understanding of our
clients, we are then able to develop and execute a customized strategy
that meets their needs.
3 of 4 7/9/2012 4:51 PM

4. Catalyst: Putting the POW! in Power Branding: The Sequel http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs071/1100671039235/archive/11103...
A Division of The Marx Group
Marx Group Advisors is a team of
experienced industry specialists providing
clients with strategic advisory services for
mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as
well as assisting with capital formation for
private equity placements.
By: Fred Janssen, Tom Marx and Tom Herndon
Time and time again great ideas become less effective, the marketing
department's efficiency is diminished, there is finger-pointing between
sales and marketing, and presidents, CEOs, and others worry over
revenue goals that continue to go unmet. Marketing Sucks! (and Sales,
Too!) captures the frustration felt by many parts of the organization
when marketing and sales are not aligned, and introduces a better way.
Purchase now at AMAZON.COM
ABOUT THE MARX GROUP | CATALYST ARCHIVES | CASE STUDIES | OUR TEAM | CONTACT US
4 of 4 7/9/2012 4:51 PM