BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource June 2006 Upgrade 45

GOOD SMALL BUSINESS ACTIONLIST

Raising Awareness of Your Brand
GETTING STARTED
Brand awareness is an important factor in customer purchasing decisions. Brand values relate to many areas, from product attributes to less tangible aspects of a companys reputation. By identifying the key values of your brand you can establish how your products, your services, and your company are perceived by different types of customer.

FAQS
Can a small company use branding? Absolutely. You have to understand your own brand, since you will have a brand or corporate image in your market whether you like it or not! Smaller companies increasingly compete with large, well-known, brandssometimes globallyso the aim of branding is to differentiate your company or product and to convey its unique attributes. How important are brand values? Branding is frequently perceived as a consumer marketing discipline. However, industry experience indicates that business-to-business purchasing is a complex process influenced by intangible perceptions as much as by hard facts on product performance.

MAKING IT HAPPEN
Identify the most important elements of a brand The key attributes of a business brand may include: fitness for purposeis it the best at what it does? value for moneyif not offered at always the lowest price, does it represent a good deal compared to the competition, even if it isnt better? qualityis it simply better built or better managed? extendability does the brand work in many related markets? company reliabilitydoes the brand come from a good stable?

A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource June 2006 Upgrade 45

proven productsis the brand associated with established successes? investment in product developmentis innovation significant? Find out what is important to your customers Although these brand values can be applied to business products in general terms, its vital to understand how individual customers rank the values. This can be determined in several ways, described below. Talk to customers This is the simplest way to find out what they value, but take care not to talk exclusively about the physical benefits of a product. There will almost certainly be aspects of service that are as important. You should also ask open questions about the competition for example: Who else have you looked at? What do you think of them? What is their biggest strength or weakness? What do other people think of them? Carry out customer surveys To find out what your customers consider important, carry out a survey; if your budget runs to it, this should be done through a market research company so that respondents feel the survey is independent. It should ask respondents how they rank the different brand values and how they believe your company and a number of competitors compare across these values. Run a focus group A focus group can be used to cover the same ground as the customer survey, but it enables you to cover the subject in greater depth and to raise issues that you may not anticipate or that would normally be outside the scope of a survey. Focus groups are ideal for identifying branding issues that concern customers, assessing customer reactions to potential changes, or identifying any problems customers are experiencing. Review industry trends Industry associations and publishers produce regular surveys into buying behavior in their industry sector. These surveys can highlight issues that concern the whole market. Find out about customer purchasing requirements An increasing number of business customers use formal criteria to evaluate potential suppliers and monitor their performance. These purchasing criteria indicate the factors that your customers believe are important and can help to identify the key messages you should include in your own brand communications.

A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource June 2006 Upgrade 45

Communicate through all channels Advertising and marketing communications are the most important media for raising awareness. However, there are several other direct and indirect channels, including: productsthe design and brand symbolism can convey significant brand values servicesthe way you deal with customers can demonstrate your commitment to their needs packagingcan carry messages regarding your brand distribution facilitiescan give an impression of your approach and values websitesmust be consistent with your key brand values customer service facilitiesmust deliver the promise of the brand Assess your product branding Do your products communicate your key brand values? The most important values are listed above but include every aspect of your company that your customer may experience. If customer research shows that you are perceived as poor in any of these areas, or if customers are not aware of your strengths, you must look closely at your product development program. Also review your customer communications to see how customers build their image of your brand. Brand your services Service capability can also help to differentiate a company from its competitors. Many companies have underestimated the importance of service to their customers and as a result havent adequately communicated their service capabilities. The right services can help customers improve their own business performance and can supplement their own resources, so raising awareness of service capability is an important aspect of brand communication. You can increase awareness through product advertising, product literature, direct marketing, and product public relations, as well as through service communications. Communicate brand values through packaging Packaging raises awareness of brand values by the way in which it reflects the corporate identity. The right packaging can visually support your brand through the use of your logo, slogans, promises and company values.

A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006

BUSINESS: The Ultimate Resource June 2006 Upgrade 45

Dont forget to include your branding distribution facilities Your distribution facilities can affect awareness of your brand. Again, if your budget allows, vehicles, uniforms, and premises should carry the same logo and key messages as other mediums of communication. Distribution is an area that is frequently overlooked in branding programs, but it can make an important contribution to customer perceptions of your company. For example, the cleanliness of a delivery van shows a level of professionalism. Build brand values through your website An effective e-commerce website is one in which the various technical and design components all work together to generate customer interest, build trust, communicate product value, and support convenient profitable transactions. Even if you dont sell directly from your website, the key is that your customer must feel they have gained something from the visit that exceeds the cost (even if only in time) of visiting. Brand through customer service facilities Your customer service facilities have a major impact on the way your customers perceive your company. Customer contact takes place both before and after a sale, and these contacts can prove critical in shaping customer attitudes. When your customer service team handles enquiries, orders, or complaints effectively, it creates awareness of positive brand values. Monitor levels of brand awareness Customer perceptions change over a period of time. Continuous research should be carried out to monitor customer attitudes. This type of research is known as tracking research, and it helps to measure the effectiveness of brand communications programs.

COMMON MISTAKES
Failing to monitor customer perceptions Regular research is critical. You must know how you are perceived by your customers so that you can plan the way your brand is represented in the future. Overlooking individual customer preferences Industry research may give you a broad view of the brand values that are important to customers. However, its more important to understand how individual customers particularly your most important customersrank individual values. This can be achieved only by continuous detailed research into individual customer needs. Ignoring important communication channels Brand values are communicated through many different channels, not just advertising and marketing media. Customers attitudes and perceptions are shaped by packaging, customer service, distribution, and products as well as by other factors. Make sure every aspect of your business reflects the brand values that are important to your customers.

A & C Black Publishers Ltd 2006