In tough times it’s essential both to spend less and think even more. By clarifying your brand, aligning with your customer, leading in your community and leveraging your efforts you’ll set your company up for success.
Does your logo communicate your company’s current values, culture, and objectives while establishing its target market? If not, I recommend a new one. There are ways to save on marketing but this is not the place. A good logo offers great value. Not only will it represent your company for years to come, it might even survive your company! Bass British beer’s logo has been in use for at least 133 years… even after the original brewery was sold in 2000. With large companies like Coca-Cola, intangible assets (including a great brand) are a large percentage of a company’s value. Most importantly, globalization and economic decline have created an increasingly competitive marketplace. It’s essential that you’re competitive: differentiate, make a good impression and build trust.
Great brands start with a smart logo and are developed by a clear value proposition – delivering or over-delivering on what was promised results in customer satisfaction. Today’s customer is intelligent, busy, critical and oversaturated with information. To be found and selected your company needs to stand out and understand the customer. You need to be there when they are looking for you and speak their language when then find you.
A recent Pew study revealed that more Americans prefer news from the web than newspapers. Obama raised half a billion dollars online. Zappos’ CEO has an excellent blog that’s worth checking out. Trust has a new face that’s candid and transparent. Traditional marketing initiatives are helpful and will generate business, but don’t ignore social media. Customers are looking for you online as well. I’m really excited about the community building potential of Web 2.0. This is what MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are all about: communities right there at your fingertips. Don’t wait for things to happen! Be a leader and find your tribe by creating groups. There are plenty of opportunities out there.
Finally, do you write a blog? Perhaps it can be repurposed into a magazine article? An e- newsletter? Or how about free e-book? Face time works, too. Is there a forum where you can speak on your chosen topic? Get the most out of every accomplishment. Wishing you success!
(The above image is a visualization of the DOM structure of a website. This particular image is the VANOC website http://www.vancouver2010.com. I chose this image as it symbolized leadership, clusters of social groups, and sharing information; an abstract image of our times. To see your own website in a graph, click here. Courtesy Fernando Luis Lara.)