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How to create brand magic :by Marilyn Parr
Being a small business owner is much like being a nerd with a crush on a bombshell called the market. It is one thing to detract attention from the big players flexing their corporate muscles. But holding it long enough to form a lasting relationship requires something special – a brand.
According to Di Paice, editor of Brand magazine, the biggest mistake small business owners make is failing to see their companies as brands from the outset. “There is a misperception that brands are either bug corporate affairs or cool smaller brands like the ones we find in the clothing industry. But any business can be branded, if you – and the brand- have the right attitude.”
In her opinion, the way to go about creating a great brand is firstly to feel passionately about your brand, and secondly, to ensure your business has a purpose over and about the mere selling of stuff. “It is very difficult to build a brand if the real and only driving force is to make money,” she says. “The secret of great is that they stand for something more than just the product.”
If you think this is a tall order for small companies that are struggling to get a foot in the door, think again. Just look at the success of The Body Shop. When Anita Roddick founded the business, she was a housewife from Brighton with the vision to sell beauty products that had environmental integrity. She never compromised on this vision – even when it came to negotiating with large players in the industry.
People respect this kind of integrity. It fosters a sense of trust, which is a vital part of forming a relationship with customers and keeps them coming back for more.
Another false perception is that big players succeed because they have lots of money to throw at marketing. Money plays a role but without imagination, it gets you nowhere.
“We have virtually no marketing budget to speak of at Brand Magazine, but we have been very inventive in bartering,” says Paice. “We have also found many opportunities to get out brand out there that do not cost anything except effort and commitment.” For example, you can align your brand with the brand of another company that is reaching your target audience. Vide e Caffe had done this very successfully by aligning with Mini Cooper in their latest promotion. On the Vide e Caffe coffee cup wraps, they advertise the latest Mini Cooper model.
Word of mouth is another powerful tool, according to Paice. Companies like Google and Amazon stand testament to the power that this approach can have. Both companies are run on the basis that it is better to spend money on improvements to products and services rather than costly promotional campaigns. As a result their brands stand for putting the customer first.
“Know your target market and make sure you are speaking to your customer ina language they understand,” she says. Follow this up with networking and you are on you way to creating brand magic.”
Source: Succeed Magazine, July 2008: pg 20
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