A Few Thoughts on Branding
A recent study showed that, after browsing Ford’s website, visitors thought less of the brand than before browsing their site. So a business research company was tasked to find out why.
The Ford logo was everywhere – two or three times on every page of their website – but people thought less of Ford after browsing their website. Why?
Many people in business think that branding involves getting your company image in front of as many people as possible as often as possible. That’s largely true. But what kind of branding? Positive or negative?
Ford’s website was branding Ford as a frustrating company to deal with. The website lacked product information and usually it took about sixteen clicks for you to find what you want. People were feeling frustrated and seeing the Ford logo, feeling irritated and seeing another big Ford logo.
What’s the lesson? Your company is being branded every single time a customer interacts with you, for better or for worse, or as my grandfather says, “vir botter of vir wors”.
Yes, people buy brands that they feel familiar with, so putting your logo out there is vital, but in order to build up the brand, every step along the customer’s path must associate a positive feeling to that logo.
Many times I’ve called a company and the receptionist or switchboard operator just doesn’t sound inspired that I called. It’s like they’re saying, “oh great, another customer disturbing me from my game of Solitaire.” Never mind that it’s irritating pests like me that put bread on her table.
Another example of poor branding that I come across quite often is a business being advertised on a crappy looking car. I’m not judging those who can’t afford an S Class Mercedes-Benz, but when I see someone’s business advertised on a horrid looking, poorly maintained, rusty car, I can’t help but associate that their business, their product or service, must also be in that condition.
That may or may not be the case in reality, but the point is that no one is going to associate excellence, reliability and quality with a business that introduces itself to them (the potential customer) in that way.
The point is, from the very first point of contact, you have a precious opportunity to make people feel good about your company.
With my businesses, which so far includes Brothers in Beat and Corporate Showcase Productions, I’ve taken a fine-toothed comb and identified each point of customer contact.
With Brothers in Beat, the first point of contact could be our business card. So I’ve designed a business card that cost R3500 for 1000 cards. I could have printed standard business cards at a cost of R380 for 1000 cards.
This is the inside…
This is the outside…
They fold into the same size as a normal business card, but you can open it up and read a bit more about the company, with some testimonials etc.
When we send quotes or invoices, do they look good? Does it look like someone took the time and effort to design a layout with some graphic elements? I’ve never seen a quote or invoice that impressed me. Most are stock standard, most are bland, yet the company logo is square in the middle.
So when someone sees that, the only branding that is done for your company is “We’re bland. We’re uninspired. We don’t feel like putting in the extra effort.”
Take a look at that same company’s reception, directly behind the receptionist, and you’ll see a massive “inspirational poster” with huge blue text saying, “EXCELLENCE”. Yeah right.
You get the point. Branding isn’t just sticking your logo or slogan in front of people’s noses. It’s making sure that when people see that logo – i.e. the image that is slowly but surely being branded on their mind – it makes them feel “WOW!”
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