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The "Get Profitable Update" is an internationally published

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Published by Clark Marketing Group, Inc. © 2000 Issue No. 0012-B

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Marketing: How To Create a Powerful Marketing Campaign Part 2 of 2

Reader Question: Give Me Some Ideas on Branding

Entrepreneur On Guard: Business Insurance for the Web

As you will remember from our last issue (Dec. 4, 2000 which can be found in the Get Profitable archives at:

Next came the questions you need to ask yourself:

• If I were a prospect that was getting solicited by my own company, what would it take to get my attention?

• What promise would I want fulfilled?

• What needs am I really looking to have met?

In this issue, we are going to take it to the next level by working with an example. Let's suppose you have an inkjet cartridge sales business (online or offline).

(Substitute your business for the inkjet business)

First, you might want to take notes about your competition. For instance, let's say that a customer buys an inkjet cartridge from your competitor but never hears from that company again unless the customer calls for another order.

Ask yourself, "What can I do different that will make me special and unique over my competitors?" How about:

1. Call and/or email the customer the day after delivery to be sure that they received their order in good condition.
2. Send the customer a warm, personal "thank-you" for choosing your company and reminding them of your commitment (follow-up on every order, your 100% satisfaction guarantee, etc.)
3. Send the customer notifications of special sales and discounts on the products they are interested in.

Second, some of your competitors that offer inkjet cartridges make the ordering process complicated or do not have an after-hours service department or hotline when something goes wrong and the customer needs help.

Ask yourself, "What can I do different that will make me special and unique over my competitors?" How about:

1. Promote your 24/7 service hotline number or after-hours special email address for answering questions and solving problems.
2. Explain that there is no extra charge for evening, weekend or holiday service.
3. Explain that you understand when they need your cartridges, your company will be there to serve them.

Next, examine how many of your competitors only react to a customer.

Ask yourself, "What can I do different that will make me special and unique over my competitors?" How about:

1. Offer a regularly scheduled purchasing program that automatically sends out a new package of cartridges on a timely basis (twice a year, once a quarter etc.), then bills the customer's credit card automatically. This way you anticipate their needs. They will appreciate having one less thing to have to worry about.
2. Your continued contact will help uncover any problems that the customer might have with any of your cartridges. This proactive strategy will prevent them from becoming dissatisfied and just switching suppliers without you ever knowing. It will give you the chance to correct whatever might be wrong and further increase the loyalty of your customer.

It will demonstrate that you have concern for their business. Additionally, it will more than likely lock them into you as their supplier of choice while increasing the regularity of purchasing.

Next, your other competitors may only field an order for cartridges as requested by the customer.

Ask yourself, "What can I do different that will make me special and unique over my competitors?" How about:

1. My salespeople or even my website shopping cart will ask if there is any other printer/copier/fax machine supplies the customer needs that can be supplied at the same time to avoid additional shipping charges.

This will help you build customer confidence that you are truly thinking about the customer and their need to save money.

Additionally, by developing customer-centered systems like the ones we have just discussed, you will insulate yourself from your competition by developing brand loyalty with your customer base.

They will indeed see you as being different and special and will refer others to you because you have proven that you care more about them than your competitors do.

I receive emails from many people worldwide asking questions on all kinds of things related to marketing and branding. In this issue, I would like to include a recent exchange with one reader that is representative of a great branding question.

"I'm doing some research for a project. One of the things I need to do is to find a site that will give me some ideas on branding. The few details that I have for the product that we're developing is an application used for the Internet. When it comes to branding, what kinds of things do you think of. What comes to mind for me is print (which may include, brochure, sales literature, newsletter, collateral materials) online marketing, press releases, testimonials, slogan, logo, TV Radio, outdoor/Transit, standards manual, direct mail, etc..."

Joe (not real name),

You appear quite experienced in the branding and marketing game from all the many suggestions you submitted. Branding can be confused with marketing and many techniques we use to expose our brand are indeed marketing.

But in my practice, I believe branding actually begins with the components of the business's corporate identity or the product/service identity. Each component works on the next so let's get started.

The first component is to find the right descriptive name.

The second component is to decide on a logo, symbol or mark. It must be distinctive and visually communicate a message, a result or solution to the prospective customer.

The third component is the branding solution message (BSM). This is that signature that telegraphs to the prospect exactly what their result or benefit is going to be if they purchase your product (or service). It's not a feature but the main benefit. It must very clearly communicate what makes your product special and unique and why it is different than the competitor.

Incorporated in that BSM, if possible, is a measure of risk reversal or your guarantee or promise for satisfaction that will reduce the hesitation in purchasing. It will open the doors to buyers that you might otherwise never get because now they feel like they cannot make a bad buying mistake.

Once these components are fixed in such a way to be compelling and sustainable for the long term, then it becomes a marketing issue to expose your new brand identity to your target market. This is branding awareness and you have named many of the marketing strategies that you can use. There are some more strategies —- some of them are more valuable than others.

But branding really begins after you acquire a customer. Real branding occurs when you deliver what you promised and a little more so that the customer gets more than they expected. This creates a very satisfied customer which translates to brand loyalty. A lot of this and you get brand equity.

I am attaching for you a chapter of my new book (working draft, unformatted and not final edited), "How To e-Brand Your Dot.Com Business" which will be published next week as an e-book that discusses the development of your BSM.

Hope this is of value to you.

Best wishes in the success of your endeavor. If I can be of assistance, feel free to call upon me anytime.

Have a profitable day,

Kevin M. Clark

GetProfitable.com

We show you how to dramatically increase your revenues and profits through quick, strategic branding and marketing on the Internet.

801-459-9589 Phone

801-523-9555 Fax

Entrepreneur On Guard:

I happened across an article related to a new kind of business risk and exposure that every Internet entrepreneur should be aware of and probably has never faced before. In a revealing interview, Bernard Hengesbaugh, CEO of one of the largest U.S. commercial insurers, Chicago's CNA Corp., addressed part of his remarks to those whose developing web businesses that may be at risk and don't even know it.

Mr. Hengesbaugh states, "There's a company in Northern California that we insure, a family-owned business whose marketplace was the western U.S., and several years ago, after several young family members built a Web page, their growth has been coming from non-U.S. sales, particularly European sales of this product through the Web. The dependence on the Web is becoming very significant. So if they lose their capability to work on the Web for any period of time, that is a significant new risk to them."

The point here is that even if you are building an Internet business from your garage and it is growing in revenues, profits and/or value, then you need to step back and determine if you need some level of insurance protection. For instance, I know one Internet entrepreneur who has a pretty good business that he generates from the following that is generated from his newsletter and website.

He has two kinds of in-house back ups going to his list and customer data. In addition, he also houses his database offsite for extra protection. In discussing it with him, he it made it real clear that his entire business is that data and he's taking no chances. I say good for him and good for you if you are taking it seriously too. If not, the first of the New Year is a good time to be thinking about back-ups and whether some type of Internet business insurance is appropriate for you.

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COMING SOON... Kevin's Hot New Book

Revolutionary Breakthrough Branding Formula Shows Every Internet Entrepreneur How To Differentiate Your

e-Business, Gain a Competitive Advantage, and

Turn Your Web Site Into an Internet Moneymaker!

Check out our newly re-designed Web site. There is a special, one-time only, pre-publication 50% off sales offer on my new book, as well as lots of new and valuable information to help make you more profitable. You can take our online poll and see the instant updated results.

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FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS

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I have many articles available for reprint that you can use in

your print or on-line publication or company newsletter. You may

use articles written by me that you see in my Get Profitable Update.

All you have to do is print the article in its entirely

along with the byline at the top and the following

identifier paragraph at the end:

Feel free to forward this issue of the Get Profitable Update

e-newsletter to others as long as you forward it in its

entirety and leave in this notice. Copyright 2000 by

Kevin M. Clark

(I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too.)

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Kevin M. Clark is a small business marketing consultant and branding specialist and speaker to many nationally acclaimed groups.

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Written by Kevin M. Clark,

"Entrepreneur of the Year Award Recipient" (Regional

Winner) and President of Clark Marketing Group, Inc.

(c) Copyright 2000 Clark Marketing Group, Inc.