Archive for category Branding and messaging

The Danger of Becoming a Household Name

Apr 2

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Marketing communications, Popular Culture | No Comments

A few months back, I read a great article by brand identity expert Nora D. Richardson. Her thesis was that some brand names are victims of their own success. They become so well known that people use them to describe a product class. Think Aspirin, Xerox, Kleenex, pantyhose, and even Google. (Google is arguable, Ms. Richardson notes, because large numbers of searchers go to Google and nowhere else. Still, Google has publicly discouraged its generic use.)

These brand names are freely and generically used—often by their owners, who should know better. They are verbified and sometimes associated with negatives. Remember political commentators referring to Ronald Reagan as the “Teflon” president, because bad stuff just didn’t seem to stick to him?

Avoiding Genericide

You should avoid genericide like the plague. I used to work in sales for Dictaphone—now a division of Nuance Communications, and that company was famous for taking brand misusers to court in a heartbeat. And I once knew a woman who ran Casini’s, a specialty apparel shop in D.C. Not surprisingly, she received a classic cease-and-desist letter from designer Oleg Cassini’s attorneys, who claimed that she was diluting and therefore damaging his brand.

So, how do you prevent genericide? In my opinion, Ms. Richardson’s two most important tips are 1) never use your brand name generically and 2) follow your brand name with a description of it what it is or does. One thing is for sure, though, you need to be consistent and diligent guarding your brand name use or the courts won’t rule in your favor.

Have you ever worked for a company that had problems protecting its brand? What was its response? And, what examples of brand genericide can you come up with?

Tags: Branding and messaging, copywriting, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Writing

Replace Your Elevator Pitch with a Story

Jul 3

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Communication, Copywriting, Sales and marketing | No Comments

The indefatigable Cathy Goodwin has come up with another great idea. This time, she’s suggesting that we drop our tired old 30-second elevator pitch and replace it with something that’s more likely to bring us the results we want—the elevator “story.”

I agree. There are probably times that we all suppress a groan when asked to introduce ourselves. We’ve practiced and polished our pitch, but it still sounds canned, a bit lifeless, and not really inspiring. Instead of a pitch why not tell a story about what we can do for prospects? Here’s a quick example:

Before

“I’m a copywriter who specializes in creating compelling marketing communications pieces for technology companies. I’ve written everything from press releases and white papers to landing pages and blah, blah, blah…”

After

“I write for busy people. When you hire me to do a project, you automatically add 10 hours to your week—10 hours that you didn’t really have but had to find. And when you work with me, you get writing that’s up to you and your company’s standards…”

Tell a story, says Ms. Goodwin, but be aware that “good copy is invisible.” You want people to grasp what you do and how you can benefit them immediately, rather than getting wrapped up in how cleverly you’ve phrased your message.

I think it’s worth the effort to create a few stories that will grab people’s attention and help differentiate you from other who do what you do. I recommend giving it a shot on a Sunday afternoon when you’re preparing for a new week and have a couple of networking events on your schedule. Treat this project as though you were doing it for a customer, and that may get the creative juices flowing.

Tags: copywriting, editing, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Writing

Your Ego or Your Business

Apr 3

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Marketing communications, Sales and marketing | 1 Comment

Most of us can look to an incident or two in our lives and see the influence of ego. What about the time we bought those pants that made our butt look elephantine, rather than facing facts and hitting the gym? Or maybe it was when we chose to go out with a great-looking guy, knowing full well he was a jerk?

Mistakes like that are mostly short lived. We shrug our shoulders and move on without much harm done.

On the other hand, your ego can wreak havoc on your business. Dan Antonelli, who contributes to Rain Today, has observed that mediocre businesses essentially pay tribute to their owners’ ego problems. He quotes David Ogilvy, the advertising genius, who said, “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”

Recently, I had occasion to experience the truth of this observation. Given an opportunity to work on a large and complex response to a government RFP, I asked an expert colleague to join in. On several occasions, she pointed out details I had missed. Because of her, we looked good, and, even better, we really helped a client. And I felt bigger.

Tags: copywriting, editing, marketing communications, sales and marketing, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe

Thinking about Business Cards

Feb 21

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Marketing collateral, Sales and marketing | 2 Comments

I love business cards and often think about the function they serve. Recently, I dipped into my store of Biznik articles and found a great one about business cards by Susan Straub-Martin, a Bellevue, Washington graphic designer.

She’s of the opinion that your card says a lot about you, and I agree. When you hand your card to someone, you give them information about how to contact you. You also give them information about your esthetic sensibilities and how well your business is doing. Ms. Straub-Martin notes that free business cards can create the impression that you are less than fully committed to your mission.

I’m embarrassed to admit that when I started my copywriting business, I went with free cards. Not a good idea. One lovely day, while attending one of my first networking events, I proffered my card to a marketing consultant. She took my card—I’m not lyin’ here, folks—turned it over with excruciating deliberateness and commented that I should really spend money on a “real” card. My mouth dropped open, and I exited stage left, tail feathers singed. Actually, she did me a huge favor. After ordering a batch of low-cost cards, I finally hired a designer who did me proud. I still use and love my cards, and everyone else seems to as well.

I’m curious. Have you got any business card peeves or success stories? I myself hate that confounded coated stock. Makes it impossible to make notes on the back. And what a pain that is for those with non-encyclopedic memories.

Tags: Branding and messaging, copywriting, marketing communications, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Words, Writing

Your Brand Advocates

Jan 31

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Sales and marketing | No Comments

Even if you’re a small, one-person business, you have a brand. You stand for something. Good service, stinky service, a great product, a fabulous ambience, or whatever.

As a real-world example, I recently engaged the services of a fellow who cleans mini-blinds. He did exactly what he said he would. He showed up on time and later returned my blinds, clean and when promised. He was also pleasant in a real way. Reliability, good service, and a good attitude are a powerful brand promise. As a result of my experience with this guy, I am now an advocate. (Just Google up Bay Area Blind Cleaners in Menlo Park, and you’ll find him.)

My colleague Steven Donaldson has addressed brand advocacy in his blog, citing Apple as the “consummate loyalist brand.” In a recent post, he made note of a few smart practices that anyone can put in place, whether technology giant, retailer, or mom ‘n pop business.

Creating brand loyalists is not magic. It requires that you “find, build and cultivate those who love your company or products, and who have the ability to share the value of your brand.” Your goal, says Steve, is to cultivate customers rather than sales. (As we all know, you can bump up sales with a special promotion and yet not keep the customer in the long run.)

These days, you’ve got a powerful ally in the social media. You can use Twitter, your blog, or your Facebook page to meet customers where they are. Treat them right, make them feel special, and you give them the incentive to evangelize the heck out of you. Identify customers who are super well connected and develop relationships. Don’t neglect those who are already friends.

On a smaller scale, we can all do this. The social media have a tremendous democratizing power. I can stay in as good contact with my clients as Cisco can, and like Cisco, I can continue to make friends for my business. You can, too.

Tags: Branding and messaging, sales and marketing, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Words, Writing

Your Personal Brand #2

Jan 24

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Words | No Comments

I’ve written about personal branding and Patty Azzarello before. I’m going to do it again, because what she says is so powerful.

Her personal branding stance is simple, clear, and reassuring: Rather than try to fit into a setting where you think your skills aren’t valued, refocus your efforts. Know what you’re good at, what you have to offer, and lead with it.

Don’t pretend to knowledge you don’t have. Don’t apologize for what you’re not. As she puts it, “If you are clear about your personal brand, you don’t need to be defensive when you don’t fit. You can use it to sell your strong points.”

She’s not talking about hostility or defiance here, and she’s certainly not encouraging anyone to stop acquiring new knowledge. Knowledge is power, but you don’t have to transform yourself into an engineer or marketer unless that’s your deepest and most burning desire.

The next time that I feel inclined to apologize for either my gray hair or lack of an iPad, I’ll remember that I can always dye the hair or visit my local Apple Store. Those are cosmetic. My hard-won ability to write is not.

Tags: Branding and messaging, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Words, Writing

Writing a Great Bio

Nov 15

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Marketing communications | No Comments

In conversations with friends and colleagues over the years, I’ve learned that people who don’t get too flustered about producing a resume seem to freeze up when asked to write a bio.

Why that is, no one seems to know, but it may have to do with a bio’s relatively short length and the general perception that it needs to contain “a whole lot” of info. In fact, someone once said, “How the heck do I fit everything in, and how do I know what to put in?”

Lisa Cherney has the answer, and it’s based on asking several simple questions. Before you do, though, you want to repeat the mantra “eliminate the fluff” several times. As Lisa puts it, probably no one wants to know the name of your cat—my cat’s name is Mimi, and she’s my precious angel, thank you—and they want to get a pretty clear picture of what you do.

Now, Lisa’s questions:

Who is my ideal client?
How long should my bio page be?
Should my bio include a tag line?
Should my bio include personal information?

Lisa works with small business owners, but she has also served the biggies, too, so her questions and answers are grounded in business reality. Her article— “Bio Basics – How Much is Too Much?” —is a fast read and worth spending five minutes on.

I, myself, like a simple three-paragraph approach. Your first paragraph is a couple of sentences about what you do now, including the name of your business. Your second paragraph mentions a few things you’ve done in the past and particular areas of expertise, such as your ability to get your clients high search engine rankings or to help them boost their sales 25% in six months. Finally, you end with the obligatory stuff about your education, any books or articles you’ve written, and professional organizations you belong to.

This is not romantic stuff. If you write it well, though, it won’t be dull. And when people finish reading it, they will know what you do and why they may want to talk to you.

Tags: Branding and messaging, marketing communications, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe

It’s All in the Name

Oct 18

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Words, Writing | 1 Comment

As a copywriter, I think a lot about names. My colleagues, Steven Donaldson and Michael Zinke of Radiant Brands, do as well. They recently wrote a great article “Naming and the Emotional Connection” about how to hit a home run for your brand when you create a product or service name.

Their five recommendations for creating an emotional connection are, like so many things in life, simple but not easy. Worth trying, though. It makes sense to come up with a name that becomes associated with a product experience and prompts consumers to seek a repeat.

Their recommendations?

Be personal
Be simple
Say what you do
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Promise a great experience

I want you to read this article, so I’m not going into detail about any of the recommendations except #4. I’ve seen a few too many “reinventing” names over the past years. Agilent and Accenture, for example. Clearly, these monikers are intended to be suggestive, in a good way, of great attributes like agility and diligence. To me, they’re pretentious and more than a touch cutesy. Here’s what Steven and Michael have to say: “As you build your brand connection you can be different or radical, but connecting to customer experience means keeping the brand connected to what consumers value.” They note that when AT&T renamed Bell Labs Lucent, it pitched out brand recognition and de-leveraged (my word, not theirs) years of goodwill.

I’ve always liked names that “say what you do” and winced at names that obscure it.

Any thoughts?

Tags: Branding and messaging, copywriting, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Words, Writing

Everything to Everybody—NOT!

Sep 13

Posted by Susan Monroe in Branding and messaging, Marketing communications, Sales and marketing, Words, Writing | 1 Comment

In a stressed economy, when finding work can be a challenge, the temptation to meet every potential client’s needs looms large.

Marcia Yudkin, one of the best marketing thinkers I know, captured this concern neatly in a March issue of The Marketing Minute. (Parenthetically, I’ll say that Marcia probably comes amazingly close to being the universal marketing panacea.)

But, I digress.

Essentially, what Marcia says I this post is that once you narrow your focus to what interests you—and make it explicit in your marketing materials and conversations—you will stop spinning your wheels with prospects who aren’t a good match. And your business will improve.

We should all do this, shouldn’t we? But how often have we found ourselves grinding through work that we’re not crazy about in order to make a buck? Maybe what we really need is the discipline to spend a few hard hours figuring out what we like to do and then targeting our marketing messages to those who will see our value.

Tags: Branding and messaging, marketing communications, sales and marketing, SF Bay Area Copywriting and editing, Susan Monroe, Words, Writing