Thanks, Miss Patton

Earlier this week, I had a surprising experience with the United States Post Office. If you're anything like me, the mention of the Post Office conjures up some mixed perceptions. Let's face it. The Post Office is not a brand with a consistently positive brand image - especially when it comes to its employees.

I was putting together some business correspondence, was interrupted but finally put it in the mail bin in our lobby. Not long afterward, it occurred to me that I'd forgotten to put postage on the envelopes. No problem. The Post Office is so slow in picking up our mail that I could just retrieve it.

Well, not that day. The mail was gone, and I had a problem. I certainly didn't want the intended recipients to have to pay postage on my letters. But what could I do?

When I called the Post Office, either no one answered or could help me. One employee told me, " You might as well forget it; it's like finding a needle in a haystack."

But then I got lucky. After making at least 20 calls, someone referred me to Consumer Affairs, and I reached Miss Patton, the most helpful, considerate Post Office employee I've ever met. Within a couple of hours, my business correspondence was retrieved and back on my desk. It was actually delivered by ANOTHER Postal employee who said it was his pleasure to bring it back to me!

Needless to say, I thanked Miss Patton, her supervisor and anyone else I could. The moral of the story? Next to your brand, your employees are your organization's biggest assets. Because brand value, and therefore increased company value, is created and delivered by employees. When they deliver on their brand promise, they can positively affect the perception of your organization. I know Miss Patton did.

Coors Light Campaign - All Fizz, No Body

I watch at least one NFL game each Sunday. And in doing so, I get exposed to the Coors Light beer campaign.

What a lazy, uninspired lacking-strategy campaign.

It's all fizz and flight. Nothing to say or differentiate? So create nothing out of nothing.

The campaign I'm talking about is the dismal "coaches campaign" using old footage of failed coaches on the sidelines and in press conferences interspersed with three or four knuckleheads who consider themselves the luckiest guys in the world because they get to drink Coors Light and hang around coaches who are no longer good enough to have a job.

The definition of a brand is a claim of distinction, supported by the evidence of performance.

What's the brand promise here?

Drink a beer that losers drink? Drink a beer that gets you into luxury suites or press conferences to hang around with losers?

It's all execution, all sizzle, no meat, no substance. Lazy advertising. Much like almost everything that's broadcast today, now that I think about it.

No wonder so many people want to work in this business. Seems you don't have to work too hard.

The Power of Your Employees to Positively Influence Brand Perception

Who is the first person in your organization that makes a contact with your customers or potential customers? Does that person know that your company has a brand promise, let alone how to deliver on it every time they make contact with the outside world?

Most companies would answer "no" to both of those questions. And yet, internal brand equity is one of the most valuable assets your company has.

Turning each and every employee into a Brand Advocate helps your company create greater employee loyalty, improves company morale and promotes the delivery of your brand promise - which, in turn, increases the understanding of your brand's value proposition. . .every time an employee talks to the outside world.

Studies have shown that 50% of customers who leave a brand do so because of poor service. And 77% of customers who experience poor service cite employee attitude as the primary reason. So clearly, the battle for the hearts and minds of your customers will be won or lost in the battle for the hearts and minds of your employees.

Ask yourself -

How can I ensure that my front line employees are engaged and equipped to deliver my company's brand promise and create great experiences for my customers?

If you can't answer that question, you might want to consider some professional help in creating an internal brand adoption program that motivates your employees to make every contact with your customer a remarkable experience. After all, brand value - and therefore company value - is created and delivered by employees.

Is Lowering the Price the Answer?

In an economy like we've experienced lately, some marketers turn to price reduction as a defense. For the short sighted, it's a short-term solution. It can also be the brand's long-term demise.

You see, there are many reasons to build your brand, not the least of which is value. First, the notion that brand name products fetch higher prices is true, even in hard times.

There are plenty of brand value studies demonstrating that the number one brand in a category can charge a 10% price premium over the number two brand. Companies with a strong brand image are always more valuable.

The point is that once you've developed and nurtured your strong brand, you can reduce prices for short periods and still maintain, or even improve, your market position. Nobody thinks Neiman Marcus is going out of business when it has a fur sale. The less notable brands - with just price as a differentiation - will quickly become a commodity.

It's easier for big, strong brands like Kellogg's or Tyson to demand higher prices and more shelf space; after all, they've had decades - and big budgets - to establish themselves. But what about the smaller business? Nothing is different. A brand is a brand.

Whether you're a car dealer, public golf course, homebuilder, bank, college, law firm, nonprofit or widget manufacturer, building a brand name is critical to your survival - even in hard times - and it will add value to your business.

The Myth of the Generic Brand

Remember when generics were just that? Brands without identity, poorly presented and private labeled so that consumers who didn't care about quality or performance or status could buy cheap - and get what they paid for?

Where are they now? Wait a minute. I know. They're brands - promoted, packaged, priced, presented just like, well I guess, other brands.

So what's the difference? Not much really, except price.

Take a look at Costco. Now, that's a brand. A strong, powerful, well-developed brand that delivers - most of the time - on its brand promise. And how do they do it?

Listen to Jim Sinegal, Costco President and CEO: "We will always be known for name brands such as Michelin, Sony and Crest. . .but we will continue to augment our product offerings with our own Kirkland Signature items."

And just what are Kirkland Signature items? Private-label products equal to or better than national brands, so says Costco. Or as it says in the recent Costco Connection, a lifestyle magazine for Costco members, "in the traditional marketplace, (they are) brands built over the years with expensive advertising campaigns built around cornerstone products." (Oh, you mean like Kirkland Signature products promoted in national flyers, catalogs and Costco stores. . . to mention just a few marketing tactics?).

Who's kidding whom? Brands are brands. And they are all built the same way. Discover your claim of distinction, and continually provide the performance of your promise.

Don't kid yourself. The brands at Costco and Walmart and BJ's and all the others with inventory business models are built the old-fashioned way - with expensive advertising campaigns built around cornerstone products. The only difference is how they are positioned.

The brand business hasn't changed. Just the delivery vehicles.

The Power of Shaq's Personal Brand

Recently, Cav's new superstar Shaqille O' Neal mentioned Tremont's Lago Restaurant on Twitter. His message said that Lago is the best restaurant in Cleveland and that the lasagna is incredible.

With more than two million people following Shaq's tweets every day, the word spread quickly. Lago Restaurant owner Fabio Salerno said he had more than 100 people calling for reservations just because of Shaq's recommendation. "You can't believe the impact that Shaq has had on our business," he said.

It's no wonder. Shaq is a true celebrity with a powerful personal brand. Clearly, he stands out in his field and delivers on his brand promise to play exciting basketball.

But you don't have to be a celebrity to have a personal brand. Everyone has a personal brand. Like any brand, it's your essence: who you are, your values, what your personal goals and mission are - from the inside out - what makes you different than anyone else.

According to Tom Peters, bestselling author of "In Search of Excellence" and other business publications as well as the article "The Brand Called You," everyone has a chance to stand out, to be a brand worthy of note.

And while your tweets or recommendations might not cause a stampede to your favorite restaurant, you still have an opportunity to build and leverage your unique points of distinction and deliver on your brand promise - every day. After all, as long as you have a personal brand, why not make it as positive as possible?

Hybrid vs Traditional Ad

The most recalled ad on television in 2007 was part commercial, part program; it was a hybrid Macy's ad featuring one of the hosts of TLC's "What Not to Wear" talking to Macy's sales associates about clothes that can be worn both in the office and for evening wear. It ran during episodes of "What Not to Wear." Since then, thousands of hybrid ads have aired on network as well as cable TV.

Because of the growing use of hybrid ads, there's been a lot written about whether they're as effective as traditional ads. In audience surveys conducted by Nielson IAG, hybrid ads that incorporate some kind of content from the surrounding show - like the "What Not to Wear" spot- are, on average, better remembered. But they're more effective when used in combination with a traditional ad, which gets the benefits of the brand across.

So what kind of ad should you use to help build your brand? Can a hybrid ad do the job?

There are a lot of factors to consider, but it would appear that hybrid ads have a lot to offer brands - not the least of which is the ability to cut through the clutter and grab attention. If you do decide that you'd like to develop a hybrid TV ad, here are three things critical to its effectiveness:

• There should be a clear connection between your brand message content and the program's content.
• The benefits of the brand must be communicated clearly and effectively.
• The program that you choose to combine with your brand messaging should always put your brand and its benefits in a positive light.
  

Keep Your Eye on Your Brand Goals

Those who use their marketing dollars wisely and pay attention to what their customers want and need in this rocky marketplace will emerge as strong brands when the fog lifts. There is much research to support this theory, and yet somehow. . .there are those who think this time will be different. . . it won't be.

Those who choose Web/Internet based communications because "they don't cost anything" versus those who base their spending on good solid business/brand alignment goals will spend their money and get nothing in return.

Web/Internet communications vehicles are just tactics like PR, Advertising or Direct Mail and should be evaluated based on how those vehicles fit into the plan. To use a medium because it's cheap makes no sense. . . period.