build your brand, and “get your name out there”. But what if I told you that any entrepreneur who does marketing to build their brand, create awareness or exposure, or get their name out there is wasting their money? Let me tell you what I really think — brand building is for entrepreneurs who HATE their money. Here’s why. You’ve heard a lot of the traditional advertising beliefs and mantras:
“You have to get your name out there.” “Someone needs to see your message 7-20 times before they buy.” “Brand building is what marketing is all about.” “Your brand is the most important asset you have”.
Excuse my Irish, but that’s a complete bunch of bullshit. Not only is this advice WRONG, it’s dangerous to the future of your business.Why Most Entrepreneurs Fall For This Lie
When most entrepreneurs go into business for themselves, they don’t have a lot of marketing experience or knowledge about really works. So they do what most people do when they don’t have the knowledge themselves .. they look around and see what other companies are doing. Unfortunately, most of the advertising and marketing we see are from major companies and brands. Apple, McDonald’s, Starbucks and the car companies are good examples of this. Go to the bookstore (or Amazon), and most of the books written on the subject of brands are all about the big companies and how they created billion dollar brands. You’re told that your brand is all-powerful, that you need to “build it”, and that your marketing is all about creating that awareness and exposure in the market. So, you do what makes sense — you put marketing out there that “builds your brand”, and spend thousands of dollars doing what you’re told to do – getting your name out there. And the results are less than spectacular. In fact, they suck. They’re zero. Nothing. Nada. You’re hundreds or thousands of dollars lighter, with no new clients or sales. This is the reality for most entrepreneurs until they discover this dirty little secret ..You’re Playing The Wrong Game
Let me reveal why it is that most entrepreneurs go broke, and how it can be that all of this “branding” advice you’ve heard is wrong. Here it is: the big brand companies are playing a different game than you and I are. The difference is that big brand companies can afford to do dumb, generalized marketing intended to do nothing more than position their brand in the market, and to “buy” market share. They can afford to spend millions of dollars, beating their brand into the mind of the consumer. Their hope is that eventually, the market sees them so often, when they finally have a need for what that company offers, they’ll think of them first. That’s called “top of mind awareness” (a buzzword from the big brand marketing world). They blanket the market, hoping that a few people from their target market will respond – so 98% of their advertising dollars are literally wasted on people that will never buy what they sell. The argument is that they’re “building their brand”, and eventually some of those people who see their ads will eventually become clients. That’s the hope anyway.And There’s More Bad News ..
Not only are you and I playing a different game than the big companies, the marketing industry is completely built around this useless, “brand building” mentality. One of the companies I used to own was in the business of providing audio and video production to ad agencies, so I’ve seen this from the inside. Most advertising and marketing firms are more focused on creating “cool” ads and winning industry awards than actually generating results for their clients. In fact, they HATE it when clients want to track actual results back to their marketing. They fall back on this “brand building” idea, and say it’s impossible to accurately measure the effect and impact of marketing. This is because they don’t WANT you to be able to track their results .. they know you’ll probably fire them if you realize how little in sales or results they’re actually generating.Here’s How You Can Win The Marketing Game
Smart entrepreneurs don’t waste their money on “brand building” advertising. Instead, they implement a different kind of marketing called direct response marketing. Instead of blanketing the masses, the secret is to really understand your market and then target only the people likely to be interested in what you do or deliver. Direct response marketing is intended to get your target market to “put their hand up” and engage with you, so that you can spend the vast majority of your time creating value for them and demonstrating that you’re able to help them with a problem you have. Here’s my rule when it comes to successful marketing as an entrepreneur or small business owner:“Building Your Brand Is The By-Product Of Great Marketing, Not The Purpose Of It.”
In other words, I believe that building your brand is the RESULT of great marketing .. not the primary purpose of it.
My company has developed a great brand within a number of niches, but I’ve NEVER spent a dime doing “brand building” marketing.
Our marketing connects with our target market, engages them and creates sales .. and in the process, we’re building a powerful, premium brand.
In other words, our marketing makes us money – it doesn’t cost us money.
Anytime you’re about to do some marketing because you (or someone else) is saying that it’s to “get your name out there” or build your brand .. STOP. Because you’re about to throw money away.
Instead, implement marketing that generates immediate results and sales, and builds your brand as a by-product (and for free).
It’s the dirty little secret that the marketing world doesn’t want you to know, but now you do. So use it and break free from the foolish “brand building” mantra that destroys so many small businesses.
I’d LOVE to hear what you think — please post a comment below and let me know if this article has helped open your eyes to what marketing is really all about!
]]>
256 Responses
Yes! I absolutely agree with you Greg! Generalized advertising is good to keep visibility up in the wider community, but then direct connection with my potential clients~content rich emails, teleclasses, and phone calls, are what actually bring people in. Prosperity is all about relationship. Thank you for your wonderful blogs. You are a great contribution to our coaching/consulting field!!
Thanks Greg. Really good advice and perspective. As someone who is looking for quality, not quantity of leads this makes good sense.
Its no secret!
A brand is not a thing you can build. A brand is an expectation in the mind of the consumer/customer/client of a product or service.
YOU must therefore, deliver that expectation and attach a ‘brand’ label to it whislt you are about it. you DELIVER and your brand is built. Fail to deliver and your brand will stand for that if anything at all.
Focus on delivery with a tag, and watch the result appear as if by magic. ( the magic that ONLY hard work brings ).
Greg said it so well:Branding is not marketing.Branding is about realtionship,marketing is about transaction.This is how I meet my wife 40+years ago,she did not say yes on first date,it took me a while of “hard” work until [finally] she said yes [glad she said yes!]I see people make it nowdays so complicated…instead od making it simple,build great realtionship FIRSTf, business and money will take care of itself.If people LIKE you and TRUST you you will in return do likewise,and the business will take care of itself.Another thing which in my oppinion is evenly important you have to find your passion,what is your WHY? Don’t just go into any business becouse you want to get rich,It took me a long time to find my why,and I am happy to share it now with others,helping each other become our best is the key for better health,wealth and happiness.Ivan Zitek
http://www.hemppower.myforevergreen.org
Great article and some very logical advice.
Great article, thank you as always Greg for sharing! I’ve been reading about building YOUR brand in another context – In Michael Ellsberg’s “The Education of Millionaires”, he recommends to start your business with your NAME as your brand, rather than creating a new name. Where your article is focused on the BRAND part of that sentence, and his is focused on YOUR part of that sentence. I like where both of you are getting at!
Great article. The company I used to work for lost a lot of money marketing and name branding. Thanks for the advice- it makes a lot of sense to me; in fact, it is already working for me as a sub-contractor in business for myself.
Hello Greg, I agree with you on this as being a new start sompany I have been approached to develop my “Brand” and the rest will follow. I am more of a touchy feely type and believe that as I connect with my target market, make sales and deliver services my brand can’t do anything but develop. This is the manner in which I would like it to develop too, it means more to me and the folks I serve this way.
As always thank you for your perspective,
Bill Sefcek, Stan Mitchell Enterprises.
Greg, this all sounds good but you don’t say HOW one would “instead, implement marketing that generates immediate results and sales, and builds your brand as a by-product (and for free).”
Auretha Callison,
Image Stylist & Aliveness Guru
I believe that Greg’s point is that you should focus on marketing your product. Your brand recognition will grow from that. This does require that you have a brand in place but not that you spend time/money promoting it.
I say let Greg answer for Greg.
The point of a blog is to allow public comments – so anyone can reply – not just the guy that owns the blog. Besides, Bill makes good point.
Yes, I also understand the article speaks about the general approach on marketing, while how to do it is a different topic, really. I see the thing Greg speaks about here as rather a matter of direction, focus and purpose of the marketing. Of course, the how-to is different as well for the direct response marketing (and as I got it, this begins with understanding your market) but that will hopefully be discussed in a dedicated post.
Correct. I’m simply trying to point out there are 2 fundamental types of marketing – brand building (image advertising) and direct response. I’d like to be able to answer every question about marketing in one blog post, but that make for an awfully long article.
Nothing wrong with people speaking their minds. Its when they start talking for the minds of others that teachings get watered down.
What are you so mad about?
I say this is still America and a democracy with freedom of Speech is it not? Especially as this being an ‘age old’ topic as old as roughly Dan Kennedy himself, who I have heard speak these exact words. So Should Greg not speak of this at all as it may be watering down the teachings of Dan?
Well, to begin with, one posts a reply to the top of the heap instead of crafting a new one which places (currently) 123 down on the page. Assuming this post is my product, that is the relevancy- using Gregg’s words- it’s about getting Direct Response, which you have provided in your targeted comments. Each business owner needs to get conscious about their every move. Sitting with a concept a moment and actually doing the work to think and or DO the application of the theory will provide infinitely better results than hoping to glean that generic advice which works for ???
Auretha, should of purchased Gregs Authority Formula, not sure how you eneded up on here but would of thought you would of have had the chance to take it up. Cheers Duncan
well done Auretha, you sure got the pot boiling.
I’ve read this article somewhere else…slightly different words but the same message. When I find it, I’ll post it. Anyway, when you give consistently give value and market ONLY to your target audience, your name/brand by default will get exposure. This all takes time. Remember to keep your target audience in mind with every email, sales page, etc. that you market with.
We sure have; it’s Dan Kennedy. It’s somewhere in these 6 free lessons. http://www.dankennedywebsite.com/lesson1.htm
I agree with it there and here.
Auretha, since you are an Image Stylist, visual media will be exceptionally powerful for you, so thing’s such as using Video with your marketing, incorporating lots of photos etc. I’m sure Greg will put an in depth reply back to you 🙂 –
Auretha,
If you can answer one simple question then you’ll know how to implement your web marketing. It will also work offline but at a cost for materials.
What does the web do better than any other marketing medium?
If I gave you the answer outright you would say, “Oh, sure – I knew that.” And then you could dismiss what the web does for marketing and go on looking for more complicated answers.
Do you have the answer to the question? What does the web do better?
What if I asked you what social networks do best? What if I asked you how something goes viral?
It’s all the same thing… the web shares. It is that simple and we all know it, but the importance in terms of marketing goes right over our heads.
What are you sharing with your market? And why would they return again and again? By sharing with your market you are building trust and trust builds your brand. Generosity builds your brand too.
I do not mean that you share by giving your product away, but you know far more about the solutions you provide and there is a wealth of information in your head that could be shared to help your market understand their own needs and choices.
Give your best general information away. Believe me, there are no secrets you have worth holding onto tightly. Your market does not want the same information your competitors want so there is no worry of another business making off with your secret recipe.
Share what you know. Write a free e-book or report to download. Put your best info in it and slowly you will be building your brand and collecting names and addresses along the way.
This is great stuff. It really is that simple. Engage, interact and be real and provide value and the customers will come.
Amen! Marketing makes money, or rather, great marketing makes money. As a marketing coach, I see this all the time– prospects who come to me after spending thousands on “branding” and wonder why they have no clients, so they end up at my doorstep, broke, bummed, and badly branded. The good news is that great marketing can turn this situation around quickly. Thanks for the article, Greg.
I used to work for a lawyer who’s B.A. degree was in Marketing. He got this degree in the early 90’s but still spouts that brand building BS like it’s gospel. He owns a small used car lot that he purchased to enable him to pursue his car collecting hobby (money pit) more effectively.
He has spent $100s of thousands of dollars within the past few years to “build his brand” and still only manages to sell, at best, 1 car per week. He paid thousands for a logo, has spent thousands again on a billboard (the WORST), and all to “establish” his brand.
I tried telling him the gist of what this article says but since he’s ALWAYS the smartest monkey in the room, he dismissed my argument as unqualified opinion.
To me, it’s just common sense. Brand building is what the BIG boys do. (Well, he had some over-compensation issues that may have contributed, as well.)
Anyway, great article!
I agree. I am doing some of mentioned in article “brand building” and confirm- it is a waste of money. Not only does it cost you little fortune but it does not give you more clients.
From the headline I thought this was going to be entirely ANTI-brand, what I really got from it was:
“Strong brands are great, but marketing + investing with a ‘strong brand’ being the goal is a waste. Instead spend smart money on providing value, and gain a strong brand as a result.”
Awesome stuff Greg.
A most useful and informative article, I am constantly being told to get my logo out there and do this this and this in the world of marketing in order to generate awareness. I will definitely think three times now before parting with cash to an organization who simply wants another paying fool – :>)
“Foolish brand building?” You grabbed my attention.
I’ve seen so many businesses waste their money on marketing that doesn’t work, because they don’t know what their brand is.
They stand for everything and market to everyone, because they’ve skipped brand building and have no idea of who they are.
They have no strategy or meaning behind their marketing efforts, and are simply following the trends.
I believe branding first, identifies who you are, who needs you, and why you matter.
Once you’ve clarified that, you can move forward with marketing strategies that drive results.
Maybe we have different definitions of what brand building consists of?
I think this may come down to the problem of expertise – people starting out don’t have expertise in marketing usually. Finding out who you are, who needs you and why you matter is usually done through talking to people and making offers.
For most people starting out having answers to who they are, who needs them and why they matter tend to be premature. They learn they were wrong to some extent about all of them. They have great ideas about what people want but then the people seem to disagree and so on.
Thanks; I get it! My recent campaign operates on the same principle you’re sharing with us, which said another way, seems to be like “building from within”. .Right on! I am affirmed in my actions and inspired to get on with it! Thanks, again!
Mari Harris
The Heart and Soul Singer
& Entertainer
Hi Greg;
I agree… We are constantly being told to, “Brand Ourselves & get Our Label out there”. That’s like trying to put the cart before the horse. I feel it is next to impossible to do unless it’s backed by results. Results means. You are making money & to do that, you must be helping other people get what they want. At the same time, you are building your integrity & trust from others. That’s where the BIG money is. Keep up the good work ~ ~ ~ Aloha Bob in Hawaii
Good article, Greg! Thanks!
I was hoping someone would speak up and say what a brand really is. Peter Adams nailed it. It’s something you intentionally (or unintentionally) create in the hearts and minds of your customers.
It’s not your logo or letterhead. Those are just symbols of your brand. Still useful stuff mind you, because they help to create congruency in your customer’s eyes and identity badges they can connect with.
The trick is to solidify your brand promise. Taking it from vague intentions to something people can verbalize and get a handle on.
“I love [Brand X]. It’s all about [blah, blah, blah]”
I agree with your comment, thanks for sharing.
In reality what I know about marketing has very little to do with branding. branding requires one to be able to deliver their sales message to a very large crowd. The problem here is that most of that crowd is not the least bit interested in what you are selling. just about 10 to 20 percent are actually considered your real markets. Paying to access a brand hungry, or so the mainstream belief are taught to the marketers, will cost a very large amount of money because every sale is associated with a cost to get that customer. Talking to a million people to get a total of about 1000 to buy your product or service will cost you about $10,000.00 per customer to get a sell of $300.00. That isn’t at all targeted marketing which is what one must work with if they want a profit. The objective is to find those interested only in your product or services and give your sales message only to them. That is target marketing. I am a consultant and I teach these principles to my subjects.
Marv Brough
BAM! Love the Irish language. Very WELL put Greg, cost containment and a realistic results marketing consciousness. What would you say are the BEST examples of prospects putting their hands up? And what forms of DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING have created the greatest results for You? The article did provide clarity and confirmation of research I was immersed in yesterday on ATTRACTION MARKETING. Saying to myself this is a hybrid of DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING, would you agree? What you said is SO TRUE, when you ask about tracking direct results, how many times it is deflected with generality. Thank You for the clarity and the distinctive depth between blanketing and primary purpose. Props, John Michael
5к
That’s because more and more small bizs owners don’t do more radio or newspaper ads anymore, because the results are so insignificant, yet they think they’re doing at least some kind of ‘brand building’ locally; and it means that those bizs owners are going to almost stop advertising at all.
Nice article Greg! Thanks.
Right on! The marketing authors, Seth Godin and Dave Lakhani, are with you on this. (They, too, believe in Direct Response Marketing and would probably applaud you for this blog. Once you’ve managed to truly please the clients you’ve targetted through your niche marketing, they will “build your brand” for you. That’s free advertising by those who’s words will be even more powerful than the entrepreneur’s. Thanks for focussing on this issue.
Greg, you said “building your brand is the result of great marketing, not the purpose of it.”
Amen! When I think of some of the big companies you talked about (especially Apple) they started off by selling great products to people who wanted/needed them. Once they’d established the brand somewhat, that’s when they branched out in their “brand awareness” marketing.
Being in the university computer science program in the early 80’s, I heard about such giants as Apple, SUN etc. before they ever had brand name recognition. They put out great products that the industry grew to trust and built from there.
I aqree with Auretha Callison. It’s just what I was thinking.
I like. I like. Thanks for that, Greg. I’m just about to spend some money to get some help with marketing, and now I know exactly what I’ll be asking for!
Personally I never heard of “brand building” as a communication goal for marketing of a product or service.
Apparently you’ve never sat in any strategy meetings between ad firms and clients!
Why not “brand yourself” within your direct response marketing? Build and use your expert authority before the offer and “call to action” and get a “double bang” for your buck …
Thanks, Greg. You ARE ‘da man!
You are constantly building a brand in your market’s mind .. the point is, don’t market to build it, market to create a response, and get the brand built as a free by-product of great marketing.
Amen.
Spot on Greg. Institutional advertising is an economy unto itself and leads to cliches such as; “Half my money on advertising is well spent, I just don’t know which half.”
One of my companies markets a whole food nutritional called Kakadu Complex and I use this site to promote it: http://238787.com/superfoods. There’s no brand mentioned. I have a company website but do not promote it up front and I don’t use the product name as the main media focus. This is proving to be an extremely successful strategy and we have thousands of distributors doing the same and growing significant monthly revenues.
The business model relies on sales by many individual business operators who use direct marketing techniques as coached by the company and we can then strip out the wasted costs of advertising and promotions unless they are cash positive.
In fact we go one step further and unlike franchise systems, we also centralize inventory, staff, premises and other fixed overheads.Each of our Independent business operators then has a lean, efficient business where they simply educate others on the processes of inviting and coaching in order to expand the network. I love the efficiency, the sustainability and the economic sense of this model and that there are multi-billion dollar companies following similar models underscores the true value and potential of this business concept.
Cheers,
Vic
Hi Greg,
Thanks for writing about this! I have always instinctively turned away from ‘branding’ which makes me think of how they brand cattle. I totally agree that it’s the direct connect with people who will choose to work / consult with me, and >> who I choose to work with ~ that creates the rapport and trust in the product / service I am offering, and the creative collaboration between us. Much appreciation again, from Lynn
Good point, direct response marketing but how do I find those people?
That’s my question too.
You get clear on who they are, and then go where they are. Look up a previous post I made around how to choose your target market.
Great article Greg, I agree 100% “Instead, implement marketing that generates immediate results and sales, and builds your brand as a by-product (and for free).” When I think of the $ billions some of the “brand name” fast foods have spent over the years building their brand, only to loose it in my mind to poor quality, I just shake my head.
I knew that it was something wrong with the brand building, but from now I know what’s the real cause.
This makes total sense.
Eileen Edwards, Psychologist
yep, word of mouth marketing is what does it.
I like the way the Irish language cuts right to the chase. When starting, it is extremely important to laser focus your marketing to your target market. No sense wasting limited resources on the lowest rate of return advertising.
Greg, I’ve been helping small businesses with their marketing and I agree whole heartedly with your approach. You build a brand as a by product of good marketing. That philosophy, along with tracking results is a big part of the success I’ve had with separating myself from competitors. Finally, business owners can have someone on their side, caring about their real results.
Check out my blog post on what I call “Response Branding” here Response Branding Grew Sales
Derek
Thanks Greg, I’m thinking of starting but am just looking and reading. Looking for good advice like this. Thank you.
Peter Barrett
Greg, you got me to read your article because I totally get it. I’ve burned many $ by this marketing technique: get your name out there to anyone . . . fast . . . hurry! It’s taken many $ and a lot of time to learn what to do. Cripes, I wish I had this knowledge before. However, you learn to do things differently when you’ve thrown out much money. Some lessons are pricey! Thanks for sharing.
Got it, thanks.
I agree with you. I’ve wrote almost the same thing (in french) few weeks ago.
Could you please specify where you wrote it Claude? I would gladly read you! 😉
So Greg your saying once you have defined your niche then drill down and market to your niche. Use the rifle not the shotgun?
Thanks Glen
Yes!
Know thy client inside out then you will spot them a mile off!!
Greg, you got it right. In my workshops with small businesses this brand-building idea comes up over and over again. It actually is a major distraction for the small business owner-it gets them away from the fundamentals – drive revenue, get new customers, keep old customers, and cut costs.
You just outlined the 4 key things – bring in sales and customers, keep them, and watch your expenses.
I often thought that spending time getting “your name” there was not right. As you say, it is total B.S. and I applaud you for stating that. It is more important to attract your customers with recommendations and good service. Then “your name” and “brand” will get out there, free of charge. How cost effective is that? Each entrepreneur needs to learn how to reach their target customer, as does any business. Once you get your initial custom, and they have a good experience, then the snowball type of effect comes into place.
Thanks again for a great article.
Malcolm Charlaw
Greg – absolutely – build something someone else wants – funny how well that works. Dr. Katie Garnett
A slightly sensational headline to grab attention, which it did!
The twist being the word ‘building’ rather than ‘having’ … which is an entirely different matter.
I agree with most of what you say, but suspect that most new marketers give little thought to ‘building a brand’ as in paying someone to do that kind of work. Maybe too few give thought to ‘establishing a brand’ from the start, which can bring benefits.
There is little point in firing off products under different brand names if they are in related fields … unless of course they’re all junk! Build your brand through things like quality, customer loyalty and feedback, no need to pay others to create an unreal identity.
Yes Patrick you seem to have clarified this. Essentially the article is an argument against advertising a brand for the sake of mass general marketing, not branding per se. Branding is what you communicate about your offerings, so no matter whether you spend money to create a unique, meaningful and attractive brand, or if you create your brand by default, you have a brand.
What this article doesn’t address is the need for a clear brand at all and thus Greg risks misleading business owners into thinking they can brand themselves by the seats of their pants.
I didn’t say that brand doesn’t matter. I mention that we’ve built a strong brand, but the point is that it’s an effect of great marketing, not the cause of it. You need to be thoughtful about how you want to position yourself in the market, but when you execute marketing it needs to be response oriented, not awareness oriented.
I was just thinking about branding, so I will just wipe it out of my mind, and take note of what you have said
You shouldn’t completely forget it – just make sure that it’s not the primary goal of your marketing. Every company and entrepreneur has a brand – which is simply the collective of what your prospect thinks, knows and feels about you. I think about our brand and how to position what we do in the market.. but I never market specifically to build that brand. That’s the point.
Great Article! I agree 100% and instruct my auto service clients the same way. Direct Response can be measured. When you use direct response advertising, your advertising dollar comes back to you… and brings it’s friends with it too! That’s the best part
Greg: Have you read Merrill Pereyra’s new book EXPAND YOUR BRAND. How to Supersize Any Brand Anywhere in the World? The book is a gold mine of information that is viable not just in developing a project/book/brand’s identity, but it is also a super guide for human relations. Check it out at http://www.expandyourbrand.com.au Sue Huetteman
Greg, you are spot-on that the big companies use the blanket-type brand marketing.
I would also add that the days are gone when a person worked with and stayed with the same company their entire life. (Or companies staying loyal to their employees, for that matter.) Likewise, gone are the basic person’s loyalty to specific companies for their brand. Sears, JCPenney, Macy’s, etc. they built their “brand” through decades of selling quality products, at prices the consumers thought were value-centered and associated the company with traditions passed on from the previous generation. Typically, those big companies now are also greatly diversified and sell many of the same or similar products. They are trapped into having to continue to do the “brand” marketing, simply to keep their company’s name out there.
Saavy consumers today need more than just a “brand” to decide to buy. I believe they need to identify and connect with something, or someone before investing in a product, service or other item-otherwise, they’re only going to look as far as convenience, best price, etc.
As an entrepreneur and small business owner, it would be much more effective or cost-efficient to focus on directly marketing to a defined, target audience, to build the relationships, gain trust, and the prospective consumer confidence – which will, in turn, build brand recognition- regardless of what is sold.
Best Regards,
Mary Kay
You always uncover nuggets of gold from a stream of mud and dirt. Thank you Greg!
Fabulous advice – that is what I do in both my offline business and my social media business – focus on the customer in front of you and that interaction or engagement will build your brand organically. Great article! Thanks!
Greg, Thank you. These are excellent and thought provoking thoughts on using our money and efforts wisely to build a business.
I do think that marketing is not sales. That marketing can be about know, like and trust.
Online I think is a variation of direct sales. I think this means that the emphasis is on the offer and that this means the emphasis can be on value. Which is great for those of us who want to provide great value to people. If we can do this and communicate the value then we will get people’s attention (marketing) and their cash (sales).
The basis for this is knowing the audience/market.
For me it all seems to come down to: What problem will people pay me to solve for them? or What passion do they have that they will pay me to extend or improve for them.
Simply great, Greg! The point very well made! And indeed this is what the most marketing/ branding books say or imply (or at least the ones I read) without mentioning anything about to whom are those suggestions applicable. Also, very relevant, eye-opening definition of the purpose of the direct response marketing. You really know either how to make wake-up calls, or how to bring clarity and put the dot on the i.
Thank you!
Hi Greg, Yes I fully agree that for small businesses, of which the majority are, direct response marketing is the best and only marketing small business should become involved in. “Image” advertising is really only for the big boys who have very deep pockets. Thanks for your post Greg.
Sigrid
http://www.plummwebsites.com
Stupid is the basic reasoning of this blog post. Circular logic that reaches the wrong conslusion. Don’t build your brand he says…instead of this do direct marketing. DuH! In case you have not noticed direct marketing IS BRAND BUILDING.
The real distinction that this article should point out is the difference between mass advertising for the big boys and targeted marketing for the small entrepreneur. In both cases your brand has to be tended to and a brand reputation built with your target audience. The experience of your product and your company builds your BRAND reputation and in turn your business.
The grocery industry experimented with “white boxes” on their shelves that only had a generic description of the product inside of a white box (e.g. Oatmeal). It did not work and they soon converted the wihite boxes to store BRANDS with all branding attributes intact. People buy brands and want a brand experience.
Most entre[preneurs fail for four major reasons: 1) under financiang 2) poor or unrealistic busines plans 3) lack of busines experience 4) lack of appropriate financial controls and cash management.
Solid marketing principles and customer focus build solid brands…including a valued brand name and brand experience. As a small company or a start-up you need to think about how you will “posiiton” your product in a competitive market[place. Think about the unique qualities or atributes of your product or service. Name your product…create a brand name…and then sell your BRAND on the basis of its unique compelling features and benefits to your target audience.
Narrowcast your brand message to the highest value market seggment that would most highly value buying your offering. Make sales, keep selling and increase volume to more and more customers. Manage cash and stay focused on serving your customers. This is how small businesses survive and thrive.
Very well put, YES!
Francis, businesses fail because of POOR MARKETING…PERIOD! You are so missing the point. The point is that every piece of marketing that you put out should directly go to put money in your pocket. It’s not about the brand. People can careless about a brand experience. In certain retail situations there is an expectation the company brand has created, but that comes through usage not commercials. We come to recognize brands out of habitual use.
It’s not about positioning your product. You should never be product based. Small businesses are sucking wind in this economy because they offer 1 product or service, and don’t pay attention to changing trends with the consumers they are trying to serve.
If you want to be successful you only have to do 3 things.
1) Research a market
2) Find out what they want
3) Give it to them at a price they are willing to pay for, and then repeat.
Cashflow is only a problem if you don’t have enough cashflow. Grant it you should manage your cash, I will give you that. But, even if you don’t. If you master how to attract inflow, you have to try to spend up all the money to fail.
Master Marketing and everything else will take care of itself. You don’t, then you struggle to find outside funding, and still go out of business.
Apparently you didn’t read the article very closely. The whole POINT I made was the difference between brand building and direct response. Hardly circular logic to suggest that if your marketing is intended primarily to build your brand, you’re making a mistake. Your marketing should generate results, and it ends up building the brand as an effect – not a cause. Talking about boxes in a supermarket completely misses the point again. I don’t know too many entrepreneurs who own supermarkets. And by the way, the myth of businesses failing because of “lack of financing” is garbage. It’s LACK OF SALES. Which is directly attributable to POOR MARKETING. They don’t NEED financing if they know how to market. Focusing on the brand and product is a sure fire way to fail, period. That’s exactly what most entrepreneurs do.
Greg I completely understand your point but Francis I totally agree with you.
I am a marketing expert and regularly work with small businesses. I have also created many brands for big companies. The principles are always the same and I always start with the basics:
Who is your customer and what do they want?
Small businesses or entrepreneurs fail to establish their unique selling point relative to their customer. Big businesses tend to understand this more due to their expertise in the market place and more abundant resources.
A good brand also knows how to catch their customers attention in a very competitive market place where everyone is competing for exposure in a fragmented media space.
So once you have established who your customer is and what they want, then your next step is: how can I reach them?
A good brand will make this step a lot easier for you too and help you sell your product or service which will consequently result in better cash flow.
The process continues from here but building your brand and ensuring it is positioned correctly is essential business practice for small or big business.
I didn’t argue the value of HAVING a brand. I argued the value of MARKETING your brand. That’s the distinction.
I believe what Greg is implying is that as a small biz owner or entrepreneur if you want to go broke quick invest your marketing budget in image advertising. Greg’s audience is the entrepreneur and small business owner (read his usp) and that is who is speaking too in his post. Most of us will write a check on Monday for advertising while needing to see results by Wednesday to cover the check we wrote on Monday for the advertisement(I am exaggerating to make a point). Its not that one form of marketing is better than the other– obviously image/ institutional advertising has built huge companies but rather direct response suits Greg’s audience/target market much better than image advertising and frankly he is absolutely right. During one of the toughest real estate markets ever I sold out a 12000 acre equestrian real estate development in 22 months using direct response marketing principles while all my competitors were concerned about there image– using glossy full page ads ,super size biz card billboards and mls. My point–they went broke I sold out. Now in the south we say that dog hunts which in english speak means…. direct response pays.Thanks Greg for the wisdom its right on point.
Francis, Wooooow Pony! He is 110% right. I think you might need to become more internet savvy in order to understand this concept, seems to be a bit over your head!
Francis,
Let me see if I can also add to the explanation of the difference between Brand Building and Direct Response Marketing.
I’m sure you’ve seen or heard “advertisements” in which Coke sings about how it’s the real thing… In that “advertisement” for Coke, they are building their brand. They haven’t asked you to take any action. They simply “advertise their brand” with a jingle in the hope that the next time you’re thirsty and find yourself at a store that sells their product, you’ll buy a can of Coke.
You’ll notice I used the word “advertisement” in describing what Coke is doing. It’s not “marketing”, at least in my opinion. And it is definitely not “direct response marketing”.
With “direct response marketing”, the company is trying to encourage you, the prospect, to take action. Hence the word “response” in the term “direct response marketing”.
That response may be to opt-in to receive information, it may also be using a coupon to make a purchase. There are many ways to use “direct response marketing”, but notice in the two examples I just gave there was no mention of the company name or brand. As Greg mentioned, the brand building will come later.
Simply put, marketing is done to create a lead or a sale. Advertising is done to build a brand. That’s my definition, which I hope clarifies the difference.
Direct response marketing is typically done in such a way that you have identified your market, you have created your message that speaks directly to that market and not the entire world (see my example of the Coke commercial above) and you deliver your marketing message using the media most likely to be effective in reaching that specific market.
Brand advertising is sort of like standing at a busy intersection, taking out your bullhorn and screaming your brand name, hoping there’s someone who might hear it, remember it and be interested in buying it at some point down the road.
Yes, my description may be a bit crude, but I think you’d agree after reading it that direct response marketing and brand advertising are nothing alike. And if you’re an entrepreneur or business owner and you need customers, you’ll get them more easily using direct response marketing.
Hope that clears things up.
Jay,
Thanks for your coment I appreciate everything you posted. I am a senior marketing professional with many years of experience. From my experience everything is brand building. One major difference is, is the media portion of this “braodcasting” or “narrow casting”? Direct response media is narrowcasting or targeted brand building. The other portion of this is, is the brand being built “consciously” or “by default”?
By way of example, if a one person business is called “Bobs Tree Trimming” it is still a brand. It has brand characteristics, a brand name, a brand personality (Bob) and a brand promise (about how it will take care of your trees). It will have graphics on the side of the truck. Fundamentally, it will have everything that any major international brand might have…only on a very tiny, tiny scale.
The only difference here is how Bobs Tree Trimming spends money promoting itself. If it “broadcasts” its message to a large audience with large media vehicles it is wasting money and not being effective. If it “narrowcasts” its message to neighborhoods with trees it is being very efective with its money and its brand building. Satisfied customers wil recommend the brand…Bobs Tree Trimming…to their neighbors.
The fallacy of the original post was the staement “Why building your brand is a dumb idea”. Building your brand is all we do in both sales and marketing. The thesis of the origianl post really was that a poorly selected media spending program wastes money. We can all agree with that. Weather you “consciously” or “by default” build your business you are still brand building.
Francis
Francis, ever thought about going into marketing. 100% agree with everything you said. You are building your brand, so to say you shouldn’t, Greg is wrong. Great insistence, and very helpfully to a start up renovation company, keep the blogs coming….
Mark Collyer
I never said don’t build your brand. I said don’t market with the primary purpose of building your brand. It’s a mistake to focus on your brand instead of your prospect as a small business owner, but only 100% of the time.
Whenever someone asks me what my brand is I say I’m not a brand, I’m a custom product or service (depending on what’s being purchased).
FWIW, I really valued a gift shop in my town as a youth. It carried major brands such as Waterford and Wedgewood, etc., but it was their custom service and unique mix of offerings that kept me shopping for both branded items and custom, one off items at this store instead of others.
As solopreneurs in the B2B service area we have much more in common with that shop, hopefully, than we ever will with a Waterford vase or even a box of TIDE or a McD Happy Meal.
Greg, I never thought of it that way, but it makes a lot of sense to me. I will pass this along to my husband whose been trying to market his products for some time now. Thank you
Marlene
I actually take offense to your “Excuse my Irish, but that’s a complete bunch of bullshit”comment. This is actually English language NOT Irish. When you are posting your point of view please do a little more research on the use of my beautiful Irish language.
This is how to say it in Irish
Is é seo an cac a chomhlánú
Lighten up, that was a joke. Most people say “Excuse my french”. I said Irish as a joke in acknowledgement of my friend Philip McKernan who uses the word a lot.
If I knew what to do to “instead implement marketing that generates IMMEDIATE results and sales” I would do it in a heart beat. So would anyone else. It’s as if, as a nutritionist, I told you that to be healthy and fix your digestive problems, all you have to do is eat the right food. Yeah, but what is it? That’s the million dollar question.
It is, isn’t it? So how are you going to get the answer?
Well done Greg, this blog seemed to create a stir. May they now see how you do not need to spend money on advertising.
Direct response marketing works for me, as it is the only style of marketing that gives you an immediate and accurate response, and yes it is still a form of ‘Branding’ but subtle.
Word of mouth, facebook, Twitter and Linkedin are all a part of my small business ethic. I stopped the yellow pages and other media advertising many moons ago.
And thakyou for for showing us how it can work off a simple blog.
Laurie Ratcliffe
I agree with Auretha. I want to know the HOW as well and not just hear that the typical way does not work. The HOW you say is too vague (maybe on purpose : ) For this article to be of true value and be serious CONTENT it has to deliver the solution and not just highlight the problem. I agree with you by the way as I worked in advertising and marketing for many years and saw countless companies just throwing their money away HOPING that something might increase sales.
It’s impossible to solve every marketing challenge in one article! Have a little patience and I’ll expand on the concepts. Teaching how to market properly cannot be done in an article or two.
Hi Greg! Excellent article! It left me thinking…I am crafting my new “baby” born consulting business and you are right: all kind of “experts” say I should invest good money in branding so that my business is “noticeable” and people get to know me…But I believe what you say is true: there will always be people who will stand up and say: “Yes” to my offer and people who definitely will never like me…for whatever reason. It is the former I need to focus my whole attention…and my brand will be known and respected as a result. Thank you for this so much clear distinction! Best,
Branding is not marketing. Branding is about relationships, marketing is about transactions.
Perhaps in your world, but not in mine. The words are subjective descriptors, and branding is no more about relationships than marketing is.
Wow Greg, everyone says that everything is the branding, I think I got it, and I’m thinking it twice, you’re very right. I’ll have to change my focusing on the marketing. Thanks for the tip Greg!
I knew I was going to agree with you, even though I disagreed with your headline. In fact, building your brand is a great idea. But as you point out, wasting money specifically on branding… that’s a bad idea… and companies do waste a lot of money doing this. But really, everything you do towards marketing your specific product or service IS building your brand. Every post, every email… everything all counts and has some kind of impact towards building your brand.
Andy Video
Video Brandologist
I agree – your brand is the collective of everything someone knows, thinks or feels about you. The point is, marketing should not be done primarily to build your brand. It’s the result, not the purpose. You need to connect and engage your target market. Get a response. Generate results. The brand building comes as a by product.
I believe that the type of branding that big companies use is also propaganded by graphic artists etc who want you to believe that so they can be hired to do the work. I say brand your self by your USP and the world class service you offer your clients.
Rene St.Aubin
Making The Phone Ring
http://www.MoreProfitsForYouNow.com
I disagree with the comment that Graphic Designers perpetuate this belief so that they have work to do. We have plenty of work.
Greg states he doesn’t agree with image advertising and lumps the keyword branding in there to push the hot button.
Branding, Marketing and Graphic Design are all different functions entirely. Graphic Designer do work strategically with Marketers INCLUDING direct response marketer like Greg Habstritt.
Also, there is a problem with the American Marketing Association AMA defining a brand as a logo suggesting they have the same definition. A brand is not a logo. A brand or brand experience is an abstract concept to form what your customer thinks about your product or service. Branding is everything you do in your business that affects your customers in a positive or negative way. The purpose of branding is to attempt to control what customers think about your product or service. It’s every business decision from A to Z you make.
A logo is a visual identifier for your business. It is not a “brand” nor an “image”. I agree with Greg that the primary function is to get a response and therefore ultimately generate profit. Why invest in a business if you don’t generate profit? That’s no fun.
I agree – a brand isn’t a visual element or even collection of elements. It’s the entire collective of what your prospects thinks, sees and feels about you. I also don’t condemn graphic designers for causing the problem – though a lot of them do buy into the false mantra of building brands. I’ve watched many of them undertake 5 figure “branding” projects that end up creating absolutely nothing in sales, when the client desperately needed marketing help that would create revenue to actually sustain the business. Anyone who thinks that a logo or even collateral is important in being successful is wrong. I don’t carry business cards, period. That’s part of my brand. 🙂
I never liked Brands anyway, so I believe this is the way to go, rely more on the product and target market and not so much on the brandmania!
Hey Greg,
Great points again on how solopreneurs can be successful in focusing on delivering what they do best rather than just talking about what they do best.
I interpreted the information to go back to know your niche, love your niche, serve your niche’s problem specifically and become that Trusted Authority they go back to time and again. Your reputation then becomes your brand.
Staying focused on “What Do My Clients Need From Me?” never fails.
Cheers,
Camille Scielzi
http://www.takeactionguru.com
Thank you for your help.
The masses are asses but all you need is one seat.
I was happy to get one “friend” call from a 19.00 ad I placed that supposedly went to 17,000 houses as a four-line ad. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the right client as she wanted an entire large set up and we only sold small. Worse, a larger company felt threatened by us and copied our idea and posted the next week. Life is hell. I laugh when its over.
I could tell you more of what I think but it will only help ten other guys with degrees and money.
Great post Greg!
I love your responses, “Excuse my Irish, but that’s a complete bunch of bullshit.” and “In fact, they suck.”
And I think people (including me) need to hear that. I’m particularly new to this whole scene and I’ve always wondered what it takes to really ‘build your brand’ like I’ve always been hearing.
I don’t have that much to spend on marketing to start with and because of that I thought I had really little hope of making a decent impact in this industry.
But your article assured me that it is possible by instilling the concept of direct response. It’s better to have 5 highly engaged customers than 100 passive (almost apathetic) customers.
Thanks for this.
At United Boomers of America we advocate “brand building” when your brand is the benefit a Boomer can deliver to a Hiring Manager. It makes sense that building a brand only for the purpose of name familiarity might be costly and can project an image of “It’s all about me!” Your concept that marketing which builds a brand is different from brand building that uses marketing is challenging for those of us who have not “seen this from the inside”. You present an important issue, but I wonder if there is a simpler way to make your point without the “dirty little secret” marketing buzzwords.
How many of these blogs do you comment on in order to sneak in a free plug for your business?…At xyz’s of LMNOP we…Would that be considered brand building or direct marketing lol.
🙂 I haven’t been deleting out linkbacks that people have been posting for the most part, as long as they’re contributing to the conversation. But you’re not the only one to notice this.
If person have not achieved anything in his life, he got nothing to brand.
This applied to the most of the people.
Six years ago when I purchased computer and learn about Google and search my name.
Google bring zero result.
Then I learn about Internet Marketing and start studying.
Not how to make money on computer but Internet Marketing.
I am a jeweller (very good one) and have my business.
Search in Google my name today: Anatoli Graour ,
About 980,000 results (0.07 seconds)
or Anatoli jeweller in South Africa, or Anatoli jewellery studio, or Anatoli jewellery in Welkom, and see what will happened.
If you highly professional in something, you can brand your name but you don’t have to
spend money on it. I didn’t.
It just take time.
a very wise concept
What do you suggest to do then?
Don’t market to get your name out there, or build your brand! 🙂 You should be focused on direct response marketing. I’ll talk more about that in future articles, and it’s what most of my training is all about – and how we market exclusively. If you want to see it in action, just look at what we do.
This is just a play on words and principles to grab attention, which obviously it did – but as more and more people subscribe to Gregg´s approach, in order to hard sell sth. now or later, it loses impact – a way not to build trust (and therefore not to market a brand) I would say. I kept waiting for the message:
… and for more on this buy my book NOW and save yourself millions or sth to that effect, stated several tiresome times along the text. Glad it did not, on this occasion at least., but still fear it will come, fast and tirelessly.
Of course the likes of us who read these things do not have millions of dollars for brnding blanket marketing, or we would not be reading this. Maybe Gregg just wanted us to feel good about not having that kind of money to spend?
The smaller business knows that marketing is about selling, and measures sales against marketing investment, surely, because the revenues pay the marketing bills! And if we get it wrong, paying the price immediately puts us on track!
Amazing how much negativity is below the surface of your message. Must be frustrating that you’re constantly waiting for someone to somehow screw or offend you! And if you think that most businesses know that marketing is about selling, clearly you haven’t coached or consulted with very many small business owners. That’s the whole point of the article!
Greg, Isn’t it all really about relationship Marketing? Which is really finding an audience who resonates with what you are offering and then building a “Two-Way” relationship with them and giving them a tremendous amount of free content like Brendon Bruchard does and then the credilbility and authenticity is developed and it is only then that people feel comfortable and you become a “Trusted Authority” as Jeff Walker has said recently.
Yes it make perfect sense. I love to get this kind of help thank you. I have yet to make my first dollor with internet marketing but I will get there soon.
Totally agree. I used to work in advertising, and I won’t be spending any money on advertising our product launch next year. But I will be communicating out BIGGER message (check out Simon Sinek’s talk on TED.com as to WHY we are in business) ..Via You Tube, speaking, a book, articles, blogging and affiliates..be the salmon swimming up stream…stand out by being different. And put you heart into it. People will turn up and they will follow you. Be yourself. Your real self. And show them how they too can contribute…they will thank you for it. Include them, rally them, ask their opinions, and ask them to spread the word for you. Before long the magazines will want your story…for free. Priceless.
Dee Light, Queensland, Australia
I think I knew this but never realized or implemented it. Unless you can afford the Super Bowl, it’s usually a waste of time and money.
I think the hard part is finding and exposing your product to the targeted market.
Thanks, this is agreat eye opener.
Dale
Greg what you say is so true, I think this is great advice for all small business owners, and big business owners as well. We all need to make our dollars count especially in this economy, I realized this a long time ago and stopped spending money on expensive ads and campaigns that get you nowhere! I market directly as you say – it takes a bit more time but it works and brings results.
Gregg,
I spent two hours yesterday listening to persons trying to sell me on the advantages of branding. Intuitively I resisted their barrage, and walked away. Prior to leaving the room I informed the presenters that one of my greatest assets is the ability to fail quickly and cheaply. Your article leads me to believe that I did the right thing. Thanks! Dallas
Greg you have done an amazing job of using this article to further define your market. Thanks for the stellar example!!
Hi Greg. It was a relief to have you confirm what we’re actually doing, and we’ve only been marketing for a month! We’re already working with fully engaged partners because they believe in what we believe in and they know we can help them with a problem they have: helping them raise funds to protect pets, wildlife or habitat. Although I thought becoming ‘top-of-mind’ and brand building were topics I should be spending cash on in the future, I have been enlightened! Thanks very much!
It is a truth that large companies are in a different market space than small and medium sized companies, and therefore lavish brand spending to create a brand is wasteful for smaller companies. However, it seems to me that when you are specifically targeting your immediate niche, you are still intending to create brand awareness but with a more effective promotional campaign.
Hi Greg, Hi all from a warm New Zealand.
Firstly let me thank Greg and all contributors for the gems shared here.
I used to be a supermarket demonstrator and I would offer a taste of pizza and make sure they had several in their trolley…I could sell 500 fresh pizzas a day. I live in a smallish town. So I learned back then, that the customer heard the name 5 or more times while talking to them. Brand built.
Now I have a product with the US design patent that I am launching in the New Year with very little “marketing” money. My ideal wish is to get on Direct Response TV or a catalogue or similar where I can show the customer ( who has their hand up saying, ” I have that challenge”) how to solve their gift giving challenge, effectively, economically and with EASE!!
There are many different ways to implement direct response, sometimes I am not sure which is the best way to connect.
Helen
Hi Greg, thanks for the sharing and insights about how you see the efficacy of branding.
My comprehension from what you said is really about narrow down our niche market and talk to them directly to get direct feedbacks and solve their problems. Spending money on marketing ad just solve our own problem in searching clients, even worse the idea of massive ad is really about waiting for the timing when clients is painful and they will find us.
Professional but not Passionate. It is all about attitude issue.
Regards,
Johnson, Taiwan
Wow, 121 comments already! Clearly you’ve struck a chord, Greg!
Once again you’ve nailed it . . . As I learned directly from you . . . find your ideal audience (i.e. your niche), find your message, and then tailor your message to that market and lo and behold, they not only respond, but you build your brand in the process. What good is a brand if no one is listening?
Nice post and fun to read the comments. Thanks for always being thought provoking!
🙂 Dana Wilde
Hey Dana – that’s a great comment: “what good is a brand if no one is listening?” That summarizes the point very well!
Hey Greg, I’ve read the article and some of the responses you gave to the people who disagree with you here. It’s been really helpful since being and advertising designer just about to graduate I can come up with a lot of objections myself.
Anyway, what I take from this is that Branding is a process that is usually not very well done since it focuses on getting people to recognize the Brand and not to persuade them to make the decision to purchase (because it genuinely solves a problem of them obviously). But a branding process that is focused on sales… is still branding isn’t it? Because what I call “brand” includes everything that affects the corporate image that goes around in peoples head when they think of your business… so bad marketing=bad branding, but also bad cleaning crew=bad branding.
My point is that I don’t see branding as a subproduct of marketing, you don’t have anything to market if you haven’t gone through the process of building your brand. If the “product” is you, then your whole life you’ve been building a solid brand by giving “it” attributes and advantages. You can’t sale anything that hasn’t been “Packaged” with it’s own personality (or any other brand attribute), right? even if you sale something that still doesn’t exist, any brand has intrinsic characteristics that you market.
Could you help me understand a bit better where my thinking is going wrong? But I agree with you overall, is just the terminology that I don’t think I’m clear about.
I think the distinction is that image advertising focuses on selling the brand.. what I’m saying is, don’t sell the brand, engage the prospect where they are, and connect with their challenge or problem so they reach out and engage. A brand isn’t something you create, it just “is” since the brand is anything someone thinks or feels about your company. But the point is, your marketing shouldn’t be about promoting or focusing on your brand. It should be about your prospect, and getting them to engage with you. The branding that comes from that is a by-product.
Got it. Clear as water. Is about my prospects, not about my brand. It’s not about me, is about them. Thanks. I can’t wait to get some money to buy your stuff so I can have a strong begining in my professional life. Thanks again for the reply, means a lot.
You are so right Greg people are subjective about your brand their own personal emotional attachment is involved, heavy stuff for most small businesses, they need to get on with engaging with customers as people buy people If you give enough people what THEY want you will get what you want,!!
I recently started building my own wordpress website and being that I not a “techie” I enrolled in a program which was teaching me how to set things up. There was a list distributed with about 20 recommended plugins. When I saw the list, I just went into my dash board and proceeded to add and activate every single one of the plugins (never mind the fact that I didn’t know what anyone of them did.) Fortunately, I started working with Stephen B. Henry of http://stephenbhenry.com/ and when he saw my dashboard, he flipped. He asked me if I knew what these plugins did and I said no. He went through the whole list and explained to me how I was basically notting a complicated web that would have caused me major heartache down the line and along the way he shared something which I believe Greg, you are sharing and suggesting in this article DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT OR SOMEONE TOLD YOU TO DO IT, BUT UNDERSTAND 1. WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND 2. WHAT THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY IS TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.
When it comes to marketing Greg is suggesting – implement marketing that generates immediate results and sales, and builds your brand as a by-product (and for free).
Now as students of our craft, our job is to take that one statement and continue the conversation (ie. research) and then look at what we are personally trying to accomplish in our business and see does and how that fit and how can we implement it.
Fantastic article, and I couldn’t agree with you more. In retrospect, so many of the most successful brands I’ve seen launch onto the scene…launched onto the scene because of a single product. From there, as a by-product, brand recognition was grown.
Greg,
When I first starting this aticle I thought you were a little left of center(actually a lot),but after I finished reading it I whole heartedly agree with you. Not only have decided to change the way see marketing for myself I will encourage those I coach do the same.
Ray Ashanti
Ashanti Consulting
OK-so if I am interested in your approach-how is it done?
It’s something I’ll speak to more in future articles, and that I’ve talked about in previous posts. The challenge is that it takes me several full days to teach the “how” so this isn’t something that can be delivered in an article or two.
Your article confirms my earlier reading of http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/06/branding-luxury-small-businesses.html
Hi Greg
Firstly, I just want to clarify as you are the 2nd person in a week to tell people they are wasting their money on either their branding or PR endeavours.
If you are talking specifically about paying dollars in advertising for the specific purpose of building your brand recognition then I would agree in most cases?
However, it may not be the case for all businesses. For example, if you are the new kid on the block, like AMI insurance was 12 months ago, then you need a campaign that is going to bring that brand awareness because you are up against stiff and well established brands.
So wouldn’t you say that it is relevant to the business you are doing?
Also, brand awareness is more than just paid advertising. It is what you are using across all of your media, including social media and I do think that branding is quite important in presenting you as professionally as possible to your potential clients.
I do agree that blanket marketing is a waste of time and money when you can do much more focused promotions.
So overall, Greg, an interesting post.
Hayley
But is AMI Insurance an entrepreneur, or a small business? I made it pretty clear that major organizations play by different rules, so yes – it depends on the type of business you’re in, but differentiated more by size than by type. I also never said not to present yourself professionally or be conscious of your brand and positioning, but the point was don’t execute marketing that focuses on the brand or getting your name out there. I also never commented at all on PR, so I’m not sure where you got that from.
I could not agree more. As an Independent Marketing Adviser I come across small local businesses that want to win at this game and it takes a lot of effort to educate them that this is money as good as Yellow Pages ads. I always advise that they not go for the target but better yet go for the bulls eye. When spending their hard earned money for marketing find those who are ready to spend money on their goods and services and leave the chest pounding to others, while they laugh all the way to the bank.
Great article.
I think of brand building as building a reputation while attracting people who are searching for info online. And it doesn’t have to cost what the big boys pay to market or be top of mind.
Glad to hear this view. Sounds like simple common sense to me. I was turned down by two big wigs with a moan and a groan from a third, all about this branding intellectual marketing clap trap. I decided to push on regardless wondering if I am doing the right thing yet at the same time convinced that I am. Common sense is simple wisdom and it must prevail. Now that I have seen your article I am further encouraged to forge ahead. Hope to provide some practical proof to you, a year from now, perhaps less, after a successful effort!
Hi Greg,
Interesting thoughts, here are my comments:
1. Every business will have a brand. Brand is the ‘personality’ of the business, it is the promise of what the customers can expect to feel when they deal with you and your business. Small business is no exception. Having no brand is like a personal with no personality, not attractive at all.
2. Small business must build brand in their own small way. And as you had rightly pointed out, not the way how big businesses build their brand. Small businesses should build their brands through their employees (and how they interact with the customers), business card, websites, blog, social media and all other economical and free ways.
3. Even direct marketing is a ‘brand’. So much so that the mere mention of direct marketeer making a beeline to your office would invoke certain feeling and expectation in people. The manner and way the marketeer carries out his or her activities are actually brand building, just not in the big boys’ manner.
Thanks
Direct marketing isn’t a brand. It’s a marketing approach. I agree, every business has a brand simply by existing. Again, I’m not saying to ignore the brand your market perceives you have. The message is don’t market to get your brand out as the primary goal. Instead, make sure your marketing actually attracts clients, increases sales and when it does, you get to communicate your brand as an added bonus to your marketing.
So glad to read this comment. I’m going to agree with everything you’ve said instead of writing my own post! I am an “expert” marketer who has worked for ad agencies and now helps small business entrepreneurs. I completely advise them TO BUILD BRAND but never out of pocket on advertising. Brand is the entire experience a customer has with a business… advertising is awareness building NOT just brand building. I think this blog posts speaks a whole lot of truth, but it glosses over some semantics and includes others to sensationalize and draw attention. I’m sure that this type of article would confuse the small business owner more than help, and it may even tell them to skip over whatever is already working for building brand in favour of direct marketing. Direct marketing no doubt is the fastest way to build brand and sales for most small businesses, but it is not instead of other brand building experiences – customer service, visual identity, product offering, unique selling approach. Brand is bigger than “don’t waste your money on advertising to get businesss.”
Thanks for writing your comment. I’m with you 100%.
Greg, this is helpful information and makes sense! I really appreciate all you do for new “marketeers!” Forgive me if I’m being Magoo.. but how do you actually GET to your target market? You know.. in order to get them to “put their hand up” and engage with you? I know Facebook advertising targets your audience for you, but do you have any other suggestions?
I’ve had this question before but never asked. Thought I would catch on by now. Not.
Thanks!
Laurel Lee, Hi I own a small interior design shop in the U.K. I took some time out and appointed a care taker to deal with day to day enquiries and went to work for a local country club for 4 months that I knew used excellent sales and marketing strategies. I was blown away with all the marketing that I observed that actually worked and resulted in sales. Since returning to my own business sales have doubled at no additional cost!
Spend some time within a successful company it pays dividends.
Yeah you are right. But do not think you are the creator of this thought. I had it twenty years ago when some marketing gurus tried to tell me how it works. A lot of bull! I think that marketing is nothing but common sense to expose your product in as how ever many ways you can think and afford. It stands to reason, if you’re not Coca Cola you probably can not afford to advertise on national TV during the Stanley Cup play-offs. Hence, why are the slicers and dicers shown on inexpensive TV time?
Cheers, Robert Lee Suter
Greg, thanks a lot for your post.
I have a question for you: What happens when you have a new product and you feel that you have a new target market. I provide Spanish language services for expats in Barcelona. In a few months time, I’ll be launching an app for mobiles and internet to learn Spanish. Should I include my old and new niche. I’m a bit confuse about it
Thanks again,
Nuria Freixas
Expats in Barcelona
What market research have you done – what has the market told you it’s greatest pains and problems are? How do you know the market wants what you are creating?
Hi Gregg,
First of all, thanks for taking the time to reply.
My ideal client right now is a cosmopolitan, well educated middle/high class woman, with kids, who is in Barcelona because of his husband’s job. I teach one to one.
However, some years ago, I used to work in a school and taught youngsters. Then, I created a set of cards to help my student to learn Spanish, and the cards worked! Other teachers used them in their classes. It is a fun way of learning the language. That’s why, I decided recently to go a step forward and get my cards done for mobile app and internet.
I think that both, the youngster and the ladies could benefit. But shall I do just one campaign for every body?
Thanks again,
Nuria
Side note, would love to speak about your biz in Barcelona. Thank you.
Greg, this is awesome!! Direct Response of who we know IS our market makes so much sense..and look how easy it is to not waste time but to engage your tribe who in turn…passes it on!!! I saw a 100 million dollar retail cosmetics owner of a company speak last week…and she didnt even want to bother with social growth online…you made it clearer why..thanks..so much potential for us small business owners!!!
Spot on Greg. Our marketing needs to be reliable, predictable and affordable with a measurable ROI.
Cheers
Marketing your Products inspiration comes from within you.Just think Positive and enter into the Market with your Product not with Competition in mind but on your satisfaction that you have employed your 100% efforts in presenting a perfect product for Sales.
Mac Kapadia
Love this blog entry about your brand is a by-product, not the goal. It makes so much good sense. In my case – spoken word, rap, ideas – I’ve gone the route of trying to get visible on the web, to get each piece visible by finding the right keywords for that piece – so I have not gone after building my brand. Thanks for validating that this is a far better way to go.
Another comment – I also liked your interview with Rich German.
Direct response marketing is fabulous and a wonderful way to build a relationship with customers and get them to raise their hands BUT you’ve got to get them to your site to subscribe in the first place and you can’t do that without marketing of some nature. I agree that solo entrepreneurs and small businesses must think differently about how they do this as we can’t compete on the same terms, nor would we want to. Its what and how you say it that makes the difference.
I think if you focus on providing a valuable solution to a clear niche and deliver on service you’re more than half way there.
For small to medium sized businesses, direct response marketing is by far the best strategy to take if you are in the process of building a niche.I agree that branding is for the firms with plenty of marketing spend and many miss the point even with their funds.There is a classic book written in 1923 that was probably the originator of direct response marketing idea.Check out Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins.
As you say, Greg: “building your brand is the RESULT of great marketing .. not the primary purpose of it.” Makes sense when you think about it. It’s also a shield against smooth-talking admen.
I agree totally Greg. Direct response marketing is the only way in which you can test your campaigns and then measure them accurately in terms od response and conversion. In this way you know exactly what each customer is worth, your ROI, and hence how much you can afford to spend to acquire new ones.
As always on ‘top of ya game’ mr habstritt could do with someone like you running england at the moment as the people who are haven’t got a clue what the hells going on, lol. Nice thoughts to put people in there place as regards branding, or whatever they call it.
Bravo! There are very few e mails in my inbox that generate an anticipatory ‘woo hoo, can’t wait to read this’ response from me. Greg’s messages are always direct, pertinent and to the point! Information like this took our ancestors a lifetime of experience; trials and errors. I’m grateful for technology that allows this shortened learning curve, and Greg’s passion to teach! “When you talk to everyone, you talk to no one.” Thank you, Greg for walking the talk and helping others do the same! BTW, Eben’s class has taught me so much, thank you for recommending. And thanks for all the nuggets of wisdom!
THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING WHAT I THOUGHT ALL ALONG. THE COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR SPEND 100,000.00 PER YEAR ON ADVERTISING AND WE HAVE TRIED TO SHOW THEM THE RESULTS WERE NOT WORTH THE INVESTMENT. REX
Right on Greg. Having been in the advertising business for over 30 years now, we realized, back then, that simply buying thirty 30 second radio spots for our clients during peak drive time (7p – 9p on TV) on the number one and two radio stations in key markets…..to obtain optimum reach…..did nothing more than line the pockets of the radio station. It wasn’t until we included triple the media value in REAL ADDED-VALUE…..like contests, targetable direct mail collateral and all of the point-of-purchase material placements at retail level that the INCREMENTAL business was assured. Interesingly, we insisted that the media pay for all of the added-value and put it in writing on the media contract….or forfeit the buy! An aggressive stance that worked very well….for our clients! We still take pride in the fact that our agency was the leader in North America using this strategy at the time. Indeed this realized a 95% client retention factor for more than 20 years!
OK…here’s two more golden nuggets to add to your comments….
1. * ADVERTISING “TELLS”…IT DOESN’T “SELL” * It’s not until the prospective client arrives at the retail floor (where 90% of the decision making process takes place) that the store staff can actually SELL their prduct and/or service.
This same theory applies to ALL business categories.
2. When running contests, the three main prizes (according to the latest independent consumer research)are (in order)…
-Cash
-Travel
-Cars
______________________________________
Cheers!
Robert Keller, President & CEO, KELLER GROUP COMPANIES
http://www.kellergroupcompanies.com
So the next question becomes, how do we get people to not only listen, but to take deliberate, conscious action?
Reading between the lines – Product Data Smells . . . Market Data Sells. Businesses that focus on “Brand” building through product data are wasting time, energy and money. The message is white noise and blends in with sensationism and elevator music. Direct response marketing through market data delivers bullet points and triggers a response driven by your market data.
Fact or Fabrication . . . The difference is hugh and your niche is rarely fooled.
Thanks for the article Greg.
Dave
you and Rich are AWESOME!! very helpful.. But you have to understand the role of business for Creditors are Real and Lawful money not FRNs but gold, silver, gold certificate and silver certificates all monetize @ 10x $1 real money— AEA
nothing really wrong with getting your name out there or building your brand…just look for free ways to get it done!
The problem is that the time you spend trying to figure out how to get your name out there and do it for free is time you could have spent actually generating revenue, attracting clients and building the business.
Yes. As a copywriter I can say that direct response advertising is the way to invest your money! If you’re a small business entrepreneur, cut to the chase with direct response, don’t wait for potential customers to come to you. However, “building your brand” while engaging in free social media publicity doesn’t hurt or cost much does it?
kw
As I said, as long as getting your name out there, publicity and exposing your brand comes as a by-product of attracting clients and building the business that’s fine. It just shouldn’t be the primary goal.
Interesting Greg. I have heard over and over that branding and visibility is KING. Without it would mean a company without growth or recognition and so on and so on. So you say this doesn’t work, what is direct response marketing? What therefore, does a small company do to get over that next hurdle? From struggle to independence? From 16 hour days to freedom? You know all the cliches. My entrepreneurial hero is and has always been Richard Branson. How did he do it? Respectively yours.
this sounds like something dan kennedy would say. im waiting for the next article that tells me how 🙂
I’m meeting with Dan in January and doing a video – looking forward to it!
What you are missing is that the essence of Personal Branding is authenticity. The best personal branders build their brand by being who they are, doing it well with the target market in mind of who needs to know about them. I hope you’ll read my book – “Personal Branding for Dummies” when it comes out in May 2012 to see how a person can build their personal brand the right way.
Susan Chritton, Master Personal Brand Strategist
Greg!! Thanks for the post, I do believe this also. AND you’re serving (primary purpose) and not building a brand out of nothing, that’s a logo or a drawing, useless if it doesn’t create any value.
Listen, i believe you got this text wrong (??) “…you’re able to help them with a problem you have.”, shouldn’t it be “with a problem they have” ?.
Regards, thanks a lot!
Leo
A complete tangent Greg, in Ireland we say “Excuse my French” when we curse or swear, lol…I wonder if us Irish need to do some Brand repositioning in Canada 🙂
Greg, it sounds like you’re creating your next product: Direct Response Marketing Training. I can see how Jeff Walker’s PLF deals with that indirectly but a proven testing system that works on the internet in today’s environment would be something many people would buy.
If you decide to do that, I want a free copy for giving you the idea in the first place! 🙂
Great Insight Greg,
I fully agree with your statement as our company is in this marketing process right now. We have to do things differently than the big business marketing/branding model. When you truly solve people’s problems and you provide value for your customers, it is inevitable that your Brand recognition will grow. Instead of asking how do I build my brand, why not ask how can I help/serve more people?
Philippe
I totally agree with the concept of direct response marketing. I didnt know that was the jargon but it is the method that I used to promote myself and my business. It makes sense to just market to the clientele you re seeking.
Hi Greg, I couldn’t agree more. Advertising is a BLACK HOLE down which I can pour most of my meagre profits. The main result of advertising in a magazine is that I receive more calls from other similar magazines trying to persuade me that theirs is better. I’m fending them off all the time. But when I stop advertising, miraculously they stop calling me, giving me more time to concentrate on proper direct response marketing. If the advertising does bring in more business all it achieves is an increase in my workload but never an increase in my profits. The only advertising that pays is direct response. But I’m sure there is more to it than that and no doubt I will be learning that in the coming months.
Maybe you need to define branding? As a graphic designer, I work with many small companies and I help them by designing a good logo that represents them well and make sure any advertising they do uses their logo and colours and the same look for everything so that people will become familiar with who they are. If they don’t do that, then they just get lost in the clutter…
Tina
icatchingdesigns.com
Direct response advertising is advertising no matter how it is described. I’ve created new business from bloging and social media which is what people want to see.
I totally agree with the philosophy of “Instead of blanketing the masses, the secret is to really understand your market and then target only the people likely to be interested in what you do or deliver.” Know who your best customer is and market to a niche. Also understand that “brand building” is more than just a product or service. You DO want to brand your customer service, integrity, etc.
Dr BrandMan http://www.DrBrandMan.com
Couldn’t agree more! Well said!
I agree with you Greg, this is the time to build a brand based on strategically creating outstanding results and delivering valuable content, not simply posturing or showcasing for visibility.
True, when I first started my business I tried hard to promote my brand only to realise there was negative results.NO SALES….Instead alot of people asking for JOBS thinking that I am doing very well!
Hi Greg:
Indeed i saw meaning to what you just said, everything you said carries an element of reality.
If for example in my country were we have so many guys out there who are looking for what is good for them to copy such, what will someone do? In that case i believe that product branding is one of the ways to protect your products from fake or mini max it. What advise i you giving me.
Ruth
Your opinion has an impact to marketing in this 21st century.Hope marketers will harvest this information.Thanks.
Greg, you cleverly used a provocative statement to draw me in to your blog. A perfect example of ‘effective’ Direct Response advertising. Brand buidling is not what it’s ALL about … but it sure is important to getting any significant return on an advertising investment.
One thing is shure , if you or yout brand get famous and the product dissapionts , you get anti-commercial you made it yourself .
Funny, I just did exactly this. I opened a massage therapy business. First step….everyone said get your name out, and I thought that too. Sent out about 1500 flyers….got maybe 12 calls. Huh? So I said I would go back to my own ideas; I bought 100 stamps and mailed my flyers only to places I thought people might respond…moving companies, nurses, medical centers, vet offices, any place where people might be doing work that hurt their bodies. Then I wrote a little story about why I had lower prices than anyone else and how I was ashamed of myself for charging the ‘higher’ prices as I had let friends, co-workers, and financial institutions make my decisions instead of following my ‘gut’ feelings.No branding, just an honest story of what I wanted. I mailed them Friday. Let’s see how it goes. It’s just a test. But the point was I was marketing myself and my skills, not my fancy logo, or brand.
Hi Greg, I know now , Why I don´t need to spend money and building the brand. Please explain more HOW can I achieve my sales goals. How Can I start ? the 1-2-3.
this is a nice piece but as you rightly said big companies going into branding is a long term business investment. your advise will make more sense to SMEs organisation.
Measure, measure, measure, tweek, tweek, tweek, improve , grow, find niches in all your business activities! Including all your marketing activities. Thank you Greg for throwing out a voice of reason for the small business owner. First things first; branding yourself as the “go to” expert in your field is great, if it leads to income and or opportunities.
Hi Greg,
Totally agree with what you said …thankfully I’v never personally spent a dime to create my brand and that is why it took me a while to do so.
Good Article Greg. I agree with you. I have studied Copywriting quite a bit.
Interesting that all the great Copywriters say that the big Ad Agencies are only interesting in making cool ads to win awards. Ads that do not sell the product!
I even see it here in my country [Ireland].
I’m a Physical Therapist and I am about to take the leap into self-employment for the 2nd time.
I have no choice because of the way the economy is in Ireland.
Any advice or tips on how I can build up a large group of patients fast?
Regards,
Liam
Greg… Thank you very much for your wisdom cookies !… I’m an inventor & will be launching a new product worldwide for pet owners next year… I will focus my sales on big distributors & retail companies specialized in the field… Any advise in how to approach them effectively ?… It would be very interesting & helpfull if you could talk about launching & marketing new products into the retail market.
Guillermo (Mexico)
Greg, Having been a client of your brilliant Trusted Authority Formula program I now completely understand this concept. But the curious thing is that this kind of ‘BS’ as you put it has been peddalled for so long that it has a tendency to hang around in the back of your mind and you need reminders, such as your article here, to avoid repeating the same expensive or time-wasting trap!
Great article. Anybody with a direct response background will tell you that offer beats brand. Brand awareness does not = sales.
In answer to Auretha’s question… I don’t believe there is any “immediate” marketing results unless you push market and push hard.
We are all on the web here and the natural flow for web marketing is pull marketing, and it is anything but instant. Everything takes time or money and often both, but pushing is about money (broadcast advertising) and pulling is about time (attracting a defined target market).
This expression in marketing says it all – “If you are marketing to everyone, then you are marketing to no one.” Your market, no matter what or who it is they can’t hear or see you if you’re talking to someone else. Your market is all around you, 360 degrees and your web content is talking to some vague, all inclusive, unidentifiable mass market that doesn’t exist as a real market.
We’ve all made that mistake. And then we narrow it down to whom we really want to talk to. We call them by name. That’s right – if you cannot name your market and talk about their biggest problem then what good are you to them? They don’t care about your cool website, they have a problem that needs to be solved.
All of this takes time, and then it takes some more time, but eventually your excellent web page content will get attention by a few at first. You need to share your best information with your market. This does not mean giving your product away, it means helping them understand and to learn how to make smart choices. When you share something of value then other will help you share as the word spreads.
Social groups grow by sharing, pull marketing grows by sharing. Sharing is what the web does and nothing ever went viral without being shared. What can you share with your market?
Is that the strategy you were looking for Auretha?
I agree…First learned this through Jay Abraham 10 years ago and have found it to be very true in our Farm Equipment business. Almost no one else in our industry seems to know it or avoid “Brand Building” advertising money pits that just doesn’t do much sales.
What you don’t hint at in this introductory leter is any ideas about is the right promotional activity to do. I assume that comes later…or what I will eventually pay for.
Absolutely true. I have been able to convey the principle of the Trusted Authority to one of the sales teams that I manage, at a Vacation Ownership resort. We have been able to better connect with clients by listening to their subyacent needs and then engage in better terms by offering the correct solution as the Trusted Authority in their vacation needs. Our marketing costs have diminished as we are now able to measure who puts their hand up and target them better. Sales are happening now on a daily basis and we are creating client satisfaction once again. Sincerely Francisco Contreras,
i get it….direct marketing for indirect marketing businesses. brand building is like bill board and city bench ADVERTISING….marketing is different than advertising… it pinpoints a specific clientel due to needs and demographics! thus getting you brand in the faces of people whom are already interested on will be interested in your servises… for more into research direct marketing!
The purpose of branding is NOT to get your product heard and seen. The real purpose of branding is to differentiate your product from your competitors’. When all the products look alike, the consumer will buy the cheapest. That is not what we want. We want to b able to sell our products at a higher price and still get our customers satisfied.
Georgios, great comment. As well, it does not just pertain to a product but it also includes the branding (differentiation) of your customer service, dependability, ect.! Dr Brandman http://www.DrBrandMan.com
Right on, Greg! As a 30-year veteran of Madison Avenue I can confirm everything you’ve written (above). For the solo-preneur, deep self-knowledge is vital, including knowing your unique value and communicating your unique value to your target audience. For the solo-business owner, “brand building” is all about owning a piece of real estate inside the mind of your target audience. But like you say, you can’t do that unless you 910 know who you are, and, (2) precisely who your Target Audience is.
Hey Greg! I call that TOMA! Top Of Mind Awareness!
http://www.DrBrandMan.com
Well, Greg, first of all your “Irish” made me laugh. A lot of people, even those teaching Marketing do not know what they are saying, or aren’t even sure what really works in the market today. I accidentally attended a fourth-year marketing course when I was at university. In that course, the professor was saying that owners should buy what he/she wants and let the consumer get used to the product because the consumer will eventually bend to your will and buy what is on the shelf. Then I went to the real third-year marketing class that I was supposed to be in, and they said to let the consumer decide what the market needs and that the consumer is always right. Rather confusing, if you ask me! They don’t know what they are talking about. You, on the other hand, have experienced and practiced what you preached, or so to speak. I can’t wait till I am able to join your classes. Marketing is actually my strength when I get the correct teaching. I know I will excel in whatever business I chose to do, with your guidance and correct teaching!
Talk to you soon,
Annis
I think this article is great. I undestand now even more the power of Network Marketing. The company builds the brand and you are the Trusted Authority in front of people using the direct marketing approach. Is that true?
Hi Greg,
For some time now I have felt exactly like you do by looking at some of the commercials on tv and wondering what the heck was that about? I discovered that so many of these ads seemed useless and aimless; targeted to whom! anyway I like your concept, I think it’s fresh and smart. Makes a whole lot of sense and costs less too. Thanks Greg.
This is real honesty and it is very much appreciated by someone who has been trying to figure out how to brand herself. The interesting thing is that I was referred to you by a successful individual who speaks to branding oneself right off the bat! I haven’t followed up on that advice and am relieved to hear what you have to say. The truth is that I have a number of products and services that interest me and I am basically lost in a sea of confusion. Thank you for your words of wisdom. lisagaye
Hey Lisa! I can certainly appreciate how branding can be confusing. IMO and experience, branding is most valuable in trying to create TOMA (Top Of Mind Awareness). But I also believe that branding needs to include things that will provide value such as customer service, integrity, dependability, etc.!
Dr. BrandMan http://www.DrBrandMan.com
It sure has helped me a lot, Greg, Thanks. In this blog you’ve hit the nail right on the head. Most folks think they’ll attract people by their “brand” but in reality its their “UNIQUE VALUE” and marketing that should be attracting their target audience to them, and thus creating their goodwill and image in a long-term & for years to come
Hi Greg,
that is a great theme. and very true.
for most small to medium businesses, if they actually thought about what they were doing, they have a plethora of areas to attack that would deliver predictable quantifiable results in a timely fashion.
The problem for most of them is that it requires they do some work and be accountable.
I run seminars on generating referrals and this material will only add to my message.
thanks
Paul
The strength of connection can be achieved, with little or no budget, if ppl learn the ‘art’ of connecting, first.
Who uses big ‘marketing’ hype to connect with family, friends, or neighbours?
Your business will fail, if you don’t know ‘how’ to connect properly, with the ppl you are serving.
People gravitate toward what it is, ‘they’ need or want most, in their lives.
The best thing a business can do, is to ‘open’ their ears and listen closely, to what is being said. Your clues for success, are in what you hear.
Business failure has very little to do with funds – when you really think about it – ‘people’ are attatched to those funds. And if you don’t care enough about people – neither will they, or their money.
Its important to come from a genuine place of compassion and empathy, within yourself.
Regardless of what ‘product or ‘service, you put out there, its your spirit, that sees it through!
(This is just my opinion, & generally addressed to readers)
Thanks Greg, for this dialogue. Its an interesting read, and helped me focus in on what will make the difference.
Thanks Greg,
Greg, man you are great. this is perfectly true. Advertising agencies always deceive us.
Auretha, the answer is target your market and work towards them. Don’t blanket the masses.
People doesn’t interested in who you are and what is your band, people interested in what you do or deliver for them. Building a brand and creating “cool” Ads is ineffective ,not generating results ,so is wasting time and money. The best action to do is build yourself as a trusted authrity.
this sounds good as most ideas not yet disproven do and since i have tried a few and overpaid for them i will give it a try with my kids book. the walabookies on amazon and see if my sales change next month
It makes sense to build the business through and with the client towards mutual goals instead of sending outwards the message “Please support me”. If we can support with our efforts, win/win?
For now
Thanks Greg….
Robert
“Building Your Brand Is The By-Product Of
Great Marketing, Not The Purpose Of It.”
Unfortunately, SOME of the people who commented below didn’t keep an open mind while reading your article. Per usual…a FEW seem to be more concerned with being right, rather than doing what’s right…read it, question it, you don’t have to agree with all of it, but it’s impossible not to learn something from it.
Thanks for helping us think…much appreciated.
Wow! That makes tons of sense. Thanks
Hi Greg awesome post!
Its funny how mentioning the word ‘branding’ sends people off on a tangent! Makes for interseting reading. This is what a great blog is all about, challenging peoples beliefs and getting people to really think about their approach to branding and marketing.
I think a simple example to illustrate your point (in my humble opinion) would be using Twitter as a marketing tool. Do you (as a strategy) follow as many untargeted people (blanket advertising) as possible or do you take the time to research, target and ENGAGE DIRECTLY with prospects as well as people in your field. Another example might be on your home page, what is larger, your logo/brand or an attractive email opt-in/call to action. No one cares what you are called (Sure its important to distinguish yourself). They associate the value they receive with your brand.
I totally agree with you Greg blanket advertising is old-school and if you dont see the value or importance in engaging directly with your target market, you are going to have some serious problems.
Also Greg always talks about the importance of establishing yourself as the Trusted Authority by delivering value and directly addressing your markets need/problem. I didnt notice anywhere in the article Greg mentioning that your Brand is unimportant. Think people just read what they want to read.
Branding and Marketing take care of themselves when you create great value, even for just a few clients. Here’s the proof:
It started with a simple website [Google: Government Construction Experts] that provided free training in the step-by-step process of how to get registered and qualified to get federal contracts.
As a result, the owners of a national construction show, “Construction Expo” asked for a Keynote speech/presentation.
At then end of the presentation, “7 Keys to Federal Construction Profits”, a limited number (8) tickets were offered to a $9,997 “Advanced Federal Construction Training Workshop” with a 100% no questions asked money-back guarantee.
Interestingly, no one asked for their money back and the “end of Workshop” video comments were posted on YouTube.
Within months they were all getting hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars in federal contracts. They wrote unsolicited testimonial emails about their success which were then posted on a “Testimonials” link from the main GCExperts website.
Again, no advertising, no marketing costs, no sales pressure, no fancy fan pages on Facebook and nothing for sale on the website.
Inevitably construction contractors figure out that there is one expert that knows how to get federal contracts and we get a phone call or they register at the website and get an invitation to watch a live event for an hour or two through Internet streaming.
Here it is just a year later and we totally dominate the federal construction training market with no SEO, no salable product on web-pages, no advertising or marketing other than static web-pages that link to YouTube videos.
The brand simply states: “World’s Most Powerful Federal Construction Training” – Google it and take a look at the results.
The best training produces the best results – Create the greatest value in the marketplace and in today’s “the Internet knows everything” world, your branding, marketing and advertising will take care of themselves. We have only one focus – creating the most value by helping our clients get highly profitable federal construction contracts and we let them talk about it.
By the way Greg, in the posting above, there may be a mis-statement. Perhaps this paragraph should be changed from this:
“Direct response marketing is intended . . that you’re able to help them with a problem you have.”
To this:
“Direct response marketing is intended . . that you’re able to help them with a problem they have.”
Branding and Marketing take care of themselves when you create great value, even for just a few clients. Here’s the proof:
It started with a simple website [Google: Government Construction Experts] that provided free training in the step-by-step process of how to get registered and qualified to get federal contracts.
As a result, the owners of a national construction show, “Construction Expo” asked for a Keynote speech/presentation.
At then end of the presentation, “7 Keys to Federal Construction Profits”, a limited number (8) tickets were offered to a $9,997 “Advanced Federal Construction Training Workshop” with a 100% no questions asked money-back guarantee.
Interestingly, no one asked for their money back and the “end of Workshop” video comments were posted on YouTube.
Within months they were all getting hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars in federal contracts. They wrote unsolicited testimonial emails about their success which were then posted on a “Testimonials” link from the main GCExperts website.
Again, no advertising, no marketing costs, no sales pressure, no fancy fan pages on Facebook and nothing for sale on the website.
Inevitably construction contractors figure out that there is one expert that knows how to get federal contracts and we get a phone call or they register at the website and get an invitation to watch a live event for an hour or two through Internet streaming.
Here it is just a year later and we totally dominate the federal construction training market with no SEO, no salable product on web-pages, no advertising or marketing other than static web-pages that link to YouTube videos.
The brand simply states: “World’s Most Powerful Federal Construction Training” – Google it and take a look at the results.
The best training produces the best results – Create the greatest value in the marketplace and in today’s “the Internet knows everything” world, your branding, marketing and advertising will take care of themselves. We have only one focus – creating the most value by helping our clients get highly profitable federal construction contracts and we let them talk about it.
By the way Greg, in the posting above, there may be a mis-statement. Perhaps this paragraph should be changed from this:
“Direct response marketing is intended . . that you’re able to help them with a problem you have.”
To this:
“Direct response marketing is intended . . that you’re able to help them with a problem they have.”
Greg, I love this. It’s about finding ways to be genuinely helpful to people in your target market, and out of that your brand builds itself. A simple shift in perspective that makes a world of difference.
You’ve deleted posts which were valid points of view. Very naughty.
No Idea what you’re talking about – if I deleted comments, don’t you think I’d have taken out some of the ones that are on here? I don’t delete any comments unless they’re highly offensive or inappropriate… and that is very rare that I do that. Haven’t for some time as far as I can recall. I just found 2 posts you made on the previous article and they’re still there – so you owe an apology.
Never thought the way to build your brand was to buy it. I am the brand it is what my customers think of the service provided that will give the brand status. The brand worth having is built on trust and good reputation. Give the customer your best efforts and you will reap what you sow.
This was an excellent article and makes so much sense. My attitude is to engage with my clients all the time, we become a group of people who also have conversations.
I also liked the video on the role of entrepreneurs in society today. To step up when so many people are being gloomy. The two opposing side of a perspective.
I also believe there is a crisis in leadership today especially in the political spactrum.
This video and message was a good start to my day. Thank you.
I had the opportunity to hear and meet Greg at the recent Messenger Summit. His Keynote was spectacular and heart-centered. He shared how he’d recently had a shift in his thinking and that Authenticity was the new currency and had some new insights about his Trusted Authority program. It was down home and real! Practical and inspirational. Check out RippleofChange.com -a new site as I believe his talk will be broadcast on there however as this just happened last week, if the site is not live yet, keep checking. Thanks Greg!!!
PS I was inspired enough to invest in his new program. 🙂
I would agree my friend.