Lessons from the Power Brands

Lessons from the Power Brands
You have heard of power brands like Harley-Davidson, Nordstrom, and Domino’s Pizza. Their names evoke specific emotions and feelings. Each of these brands stands for something special. They are the modern day version of original branding, “burning a unique mark”.
Can these power brands teach you how to get more clients or increase profits from your own business? In this issue of The Small Business Tool Box, I will share two of Rob Frankel’s branding standards from The Revenge of Brand X. Compare your business efforts against these two standards and see what you can learn.

The first Law of Big Time Branding: Brands are not about you. Brands are about them.(1)

Tell me about your brand. Were you going to tell me about the products and services you developed? Were you going to tell me about your qualifications and what you have to offer your clients? Were you going to tell me how you identified the needs of your clients and how you convince, prod or otherwise sell them your products and services?
Branding is all about them, not you. Your brand must be about solving the client’s problems, their wants, their pains. Do you know what they really want?
Knowing your client is more than knowing demographics, i.e. how many people eat chocolate; it is knowing why they love eating chocolate! Branding is all about finding solutions to your client’s problems. Power brands do this extremely well.
Think of the brand, Head and Shoulders Shampoo. It clearly communicates the purpose of eliminating your dandruff problem. There are many brands of shampoos on the market shelves. But if you want a shampoo that gets rid of your dandruff, where do you turn.
Does your product or service do the same for your clients?

Branding is not about getting your targets to choose you over your competition. Branding is about getting your prospects to see you as the only solution to their problem. (2)

Now here’s a challenge! In today’s crowded market place, does your product or service command this position? Let’s look at how power brands do this.
Federal Express understands the fear of not delivering a package on time. Other overnight services have come into the market place, some even cheaper than Federal Express. But if you absolutely had to get a package there on time, who would you trust?
Becoming the only solutions for a client’s problem builds loyalty. Clients become evangelists for your product. Compare the Microsoft brand with the Apple computer brand. Microsoft is larger and spends more money on their business. But ask any Mac/Apple user and you hear how loyal they are to their brand! They will never give up their Mac!
I have compared my own brand with Frankel’s second branding standard. My business “eliminates business frustrations for small business owners.” My business mantra tells you what I do and with whom I do it. But do I have the power of being the only solution for my clients?
No. I need to add something more. Perhaps, I could add the word, “guaranteed” to my business brand. Can I fulfill such a promise? Now I am challenging my abilities and the abilities of my company.
Power branding raises the bar of your company. Branding is not just being cute or clever or having a logo. It is about challenging your business to be a business for the client. It is challenging your business to be the only solution for the client’s problem.
Are you up to the challenge? Are you willing to stretch your business muscles and make sure every aspect of your business matches your brand? Are you willing to go the extra mile to make sure your brand achieves the power it needs in today’s economy?
(1) (2) Rob Frankel’s The Revenge of Brand X

Copyright Al Hanzal, 2004 All Rights Reserved