Today, I'd like to speak to you about branding. What really is
branding and how does it work?
I've had some interesting interactions with many people in
business and I've also interacted with many marketing professionals and product
communication experts. As a professional marketer myself I have studied and
practiced marketing, branding and advertising for years hence, I am to a good
extent exposed to the concept of branding, various interpretations of branding,
various application of branding and this may surprise you; how branding has
wrecked many products and businesses.
Many people in business today even in Nigeria are
superficial about many business concepts and appropriate application. Once they
come across a new trend on the global scene, they quickly take it on, begin to
apply and sell without a meticulous study and understanding of how it really
works and how it can grow their businesses.
Too many business people today keep talking about
branding without a detailed understanding of the concept and how to use it.
Many will give you the basic definition of branding when asked, they'll tell
you it's the ability to create a unique and different identity for your product
in the market place to enhance recognition, awareness and popularity - leading to
increased patronage.They believe it's about using properties like colours,
themes, textures, language, tone of voice, profile, packaging and association
to promote preference and affinity.
It sounds good and logical to brand but being good at
managing all these effectively can actually destroy your product and potential
in the market place if you ignore the core of branding.
Many today in business are desperately transforming their
products and services into brands. They are differentiating and creating unique
identification for their products and services. They use packaging, colours,
communication, advertising and imagery to create a mental picture of their
products in the mind of their target audience so as to drive recall, preference
and patronage.
Truth is, branding essentially makes a product stand out
amongst competing options. When you brand successfully, using effective
communication and advertising to promote the brand and its properties, you will
naturally grow awareness, recall and even preference.
Branding makes a product known, branding makes a product
famous, branding can help improve your market place performance and drive up
your shares in volume and value, branding can even activate an effective word
of mouth and recommendation amongst consumers, branding makes a lot of sense
and it's a sensible business consideration.
However, branding beyond how you see it, is putting your
offering in the spot light, Branding is calling attention to yourself and your
product. The danger in this is, if as a buyer, a consumer or client I'm
impressed by your branding proficiency and attracted to your product, if I then
decide to buy it and unfortunately find your product disappointing, I'll never
repeat that purchase.
If I buy and use your product and I find it
disappointing, or far beneath the hype and packaging and promise, I become
turned off from your brand. Not only will I get turned off, I will immediately
begin to discourage friends and family from buying your product and ill begin
to talk negatively about your brand.
If you package your product and service in such an
attractive and compelling way but my experience with it is disappointing, it
will take a lot to change my mind about that impression especially if there are
better competing options.
Branding is dangerous when your product or service is bad
or not good enough. Customers don't pay for products or services, they pay for
experience and satisfaction. They pay for your products based on what they
believe it would do for them, not because your brand looks nice. Customers buy
satisfaction.
When your branding is powerful and compelling but your
product and services are poor or disappointing, your branding will subsequently
help me recognise your product on the shelf or in the market place and avoid
it. If your product is not excellent, or you can't sustain excellence, branding
becomes dangerous to your business. Branding will begin to work against you.
Branding is beyond creating a differentiation and an identity for your product,
it actually starts with the ability to continuously and consistently satisfy
your customers with your offering.
When as a product or service you call attention to
yourself, what you are saying to me is, you have what I want and you have what
it takes to satisfy me continuously and consistently. If I try you and discover
it's not the case, I'll leave you, carry a bad impression about you and spread
you as bad news.
The core and the beginning of branding is product or
service quality. Whatever you want to brand must have the capacity to make me
happy and satisfy me, not occasionally but consistently.
Too many businesses have very bad products and services
out there yet they spend millions on branding and advertising. Too many
companies have very appalling customer service and relations yet they spend
money on branding.
Many businesses lack what it takes to deliver consistent
and back to back quality service yet they spend so much on branding. I'm sorry,
but it is a waste of money and it doesn't make sustainable business sense to
keep spending money in order to call the attention of the public and your
customers to a bad product or service.
And don't be deceived, if your product is bad or average
and your services are not impressive and you're still doing well as a business
it's because the customers don't have superior and affordable options yet. They
may still be with you because you're the preferred option amongst bad options.
Immediately a superior option in quality and price hits the market, you'll discover
your true size, you'll know you've failed on building loyalty.
The core of branding is quality product and service. It's
about a guarantee and a promise that your product has got what it takes to
satisfy customers always. Branding is keeping a promise of satisfaction to your
customers.
I tell you this, a good product or service need not
invest so much in building its brand for it to grow in the market. When you win
with product quality and consistency, the market will build the brand for you.
Your customers, distributors, clients and everyone whom have experienced you
will tell good stuff about you. You will build loyalty and trust through
consistent quality delivery and you'll take over the market space. To continue
to grow your brand, you must subject your product or service to continuous
quality improvement.
Branding is not about differentiation, shelf shout,
imagery and wide spread advertising, branding is about quality guarantee,
branding is about keeping a promise. Don't attract me to a bad experience with
your product, fix your core first; and then call my attention to something
good, satisfying and compelling. That's what branding is about. Never brand a
bad product. It will work against you.
I believe you'd have learn one or two lessons.
Enjoy your day
Post a Comment