building a kick-ass brand that wins

© SOL MARKETING | 1

BUILDING A KICK-ASS BRAND THAT WINS


AGENDA

Branding basics Brand value pyramid methodology Creating emotional bonds Brand swagger Putting it all together: The Anti-Elevator Pitch


What is a brand?


The collective emotional response to your product or service


Expectations


Memories


Stories


A relationship


Differentiation that’s meaningful to

customers, partners, vendors, employees


An intangible asset


A financial asset


HOW DOES A BRAND GET INCLUDED IN THAT LIST?

Profits

Demand

Bonds


WHY BRANDING?

Avoid fatal conceit

Your product is NOT your message

There are other people and products that do EXACTLY what you do


Start thinking of your business

as a brand


Start thinking of your brand as an

experience


Functional Benefits and Attributes

Emotional Benefits

Self-expressive benefits,

beliefs and values addressed

Hardest to deliver Hardest to imitate

Most differentiating and defining Longest shelf-life

Key element of emotional brand

BRAND VALUE PYRAMID


Today’s options packages are tomorrow’s standard equipment

We can’t control the brand image – only the identity


BUILDING EMOTIONAL BONDS

•  Traditional consumer branding: rooted in theory of rational choices and cognitive and sequential in nature

•  Modern branding: brand become part of a person’s self-concept

•  It’s not enough to connect emotionally; you must deliver on your brand promise


BRAND SWAGGER QUESTIONS

What does it say about a person that they hire/use your brand?

What is the singular benefit customers get from you

they can’t get from anyone else?

How do you make your customer a hero in his/her own story?


PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

•  Your brand story – brand narrative … the “anti-elevator pitch”

•  Elevator pitch: a one-way delivery system for getting your core message across

•  The brand narrative: an offer of something compelling to start a conversation


BRAND NARRATIVE

•  You are NOT your website •  It’s about why you do what you do – not what you

do •  It’s an opportunity to invite others to engage and

collaborate in your success •  Persuade, don’t educate •  Connect with empathy •  Raise eyebrows!


BRAND NARRATIVES THAT CONNECT

•  One-word: Google = search, Mastercard = priceless

•  Question: “What if I told you that you’d never have to search for an email again?”

•  Subject line: “Fifteen minutes could save you 15 percent on your car insurance”

•  Story form: “One day, when _________ is successful, every __________ will be able to ___________.”


WHEN BRAND?

•  When you’ve established a product – market fit •  When customers begin to experience your

brand •  When you’re raising money •  Focus on the things that matter

© SOL MARKETING | 25 © SOL MARKETING | 25

10 ACTIONS FOR BUILDING AND SUSTAINING BRANDS •  Innovate and delight

•  Be meaningfully different

•  Stand for a purpose

•  Walk the talk

•  Build and maintain trust

•  Renew and improve the brand experience

•  Rely on consumer insights

•  Think holistically

•  Get noticed

•  Keep changing


LET’S START

SOMETHING 512.445.4807 [email protected] 4807 Spicewood Springs Rd. Building 2, Suite 200 Austin, Texas 78759

building a kick-ass brand that wins

Marketing