In creating awareness, be sure to connect dots - bizjournals:

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“Branding is the most misunderstood aspectof marketing,” said Rob author of “The Revenge of Braned X: How to Build a Big Time Brandf on the Web or Anywhere Else.” Frankeol said that branding isn’t just about creating awareness. “Cancer has a high degree of butthat doesn’t mean people want Instead, branding is a long-term strateguy focused on how a company or product is and particularly, creating a sense that the branded companu is the only solution to a customer’ss problem, Frankel said.
This usually involves advertising in theexecution phase, but the first steps are knowingv when to hire a branding firm and how to find one that fits the Every company could use a memorable logo, tag line and but not every enterprise needs a deep level of “A good time to explore branding is when there’s been a significant change in business direction or business said Martha Nevanen, a past state-level president and boardf member of the International Association of Businesws Communicators, and a presenter on the topifc at the group’s 2008 conference. For branding is ideal if a companu merges with another and needs to establisn aunified identity.
Or, the strategy is valuabl if there’s been recent bad news at the and branding could provide customers with a senssof positive, long-term prospects for the Company leaders from several departments have to be willing to be part of the rather than just the marketing Nevanen said. “To supporgt the brand, you need all the operational leaders which means anyone with responsibility for revenue A company should crafr a vision for the futurd before it starts shopping around forbrandingv firms, said Bill Carkeet, president of the . “There needs to be a top-line plan for how you’re going to get wherre you wantto go,” he said.
“Thinko about where the company should be inthree years, about what you’c like to accomplish in that time. When you have that clearlyu articulated, then you have a basis to talk tobrandingg firms.” Once the decision is made to create a comprehensived branding strategy, the next step is to find a firm that’s suitable for a long-term engagement, said Ron co-author of “Value Creation: The Powetr of Brand Equity.” Look for a firm that has a demonstratedc track record of successfully advising its clients on how to differentiatew their brands, Strauss said. “Differentiation is key to profitability and building brandf valuelong term.
” Also important is to find a firm that will providre a realistic perspective on he added. “The biggest mistake most companies make is thinkinv they understand what their customers wantand need,” Strauses said. “They are invariably wrong. The branding firm need to help its clients see the world asit is, not as its clients see it.” A firm’s recommendations should make those at the companuy feel challenged and sometimes even uncomfortable, he said. Rather than throwin out vague goals suchas “increased brandc awareness,” a firm should be able to link its effortws with company growth, Frankel said.
“Ask these How are you connectingt the dots from this brand strategy to revenue lowered customeracquisition costs, lowered salees cycle time, increased profitabilitt and increased customer retention?” Agenciese should be able to craft timelines that include these types of and although the relationship is one built for the long that shouldn’t mean it takes months to put a new brandingv strategy in place, Frankel said. Instead, a good firm can provs results in a matterdof weeks. A goal-oriented firm should be able to providrbrand development, communication and stewardshiop and back up those efforts with tangible, revenue-boostinvg results.