Here in California two recent stories have found a near-permanent loop on the lower-third ticker tape.  The first is that of the fate of Los Angeles Schools Supt. David Brewer agreeing to have his contract bought out by the state, effectively removing him from his position.  LA County schools have most certainly had their share of hardships — steadily increasing class sizes, a gross lack of funding, and declining test scores over the past ten years — but LA County schools have also begun to turn around in more recent years.  However, Supt. David Brewer’s lack of such intangibles as being able to deal with the media, the beauracracy, or instill hope for the schools in the public has placed him in a position to be removed from his post.  This quote from the Los Angeles Times explains that Brewer does not want to turn this into a racially driven argument:

“As an African American, I’ve experienced my share of discrimination,” he told reporters, school board members and district employees Monday. “I know what it looks like, smells like, and the consequences.”

“Although this debate is disconcerting and troubling, it must not become an ethnic issue. When adults fight, it can manifest itself in our children,” said Brewer, the district’s second African American superintendent. “This must not become an ethnic or racial battle that infests our schools, our campuses, our playgrounds. This is not about settling an old score; this must be about what is best for every LAUSD student.”

However, many civil rights activists are crying foul, saying Brewer is being used as a scapegoat, that a decade’s worth of problems can not be expected to be solved overnight, that one’s race can not be overlooked.  I suppose it really is one step forward, two steps back.

A more tragic story occured Monday when a disabled F/A-18D fighter jet crashed and exploded in a residential area in San Diego.  After losing power to one engine and then losing power completely, the pilot ejected safely from the spiraling plane.  Upon impact with the ground, the jet ignited into a massive fireball, destroying two homes and killing a grandmother, mother, and young child.  Another child is still missing.  The Marine Corps. has yet to comment on further details of the malfunction.

OJ Simpson became plastered on the news once again, thirteen years to the day since his heavily-debated acquittal.  This time, Simpson was tried and found guilty on 12 charges, conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault and kidnapping with a deadly weapon stemming from a September 13, 2007, incident at Las Vegas’ Palace Station hotel and casino garnering him a sentence of up to 33 years in prison and the possibility of parole after 9.  Although the Honorable Judge Jackie Glass stated that the circus of thirteen years ago played no part in either her or the jury’s conviction, it’s hard to imagine something as ingrained in the public consciousness could not play some part.  Simpson’s apology was heartfelt and laden with emotion, but it was brushed aside by Judge Glass who simply stated the sentence without much regard for the emotion.  Of course, protestors and denouncers alike gathered outside the Nevada courthouse, and for some Simpson got what had been thirteen years coming, for others, well, he’s still just a victim.  However, it turns out that the evidence did fit this time around.

The appalling acts of terrorism seen in Mumbai from November 26th to the 29th are still being sorted out.  Although many signs are pointing to Pakistan as the terrorists’ country of origin, the evidence remains far less than concrete.  This trajedy continues to unfold its gloom, an attack killing at least 188 people and injuring at least another 290.

And most recently in the wave of WTF inducing events is the arrest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich of the state of Illinois.  This morning, at around 6:30 AM Blagojevich was taken into FBI custody after wire taps in his home and campaign office led to enough evidence for corruption charges.  Most horrific of the alleged corruption charges involves the selling of the Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Barack Obama.  Illinois has long been said to be the most corrupt state in the U.S., and it’s stories like this that continue to solidify its position as such.  Perhaps the look and feel of Chicago came in second when Christopher Nolan, director of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, chose to use the city as the location of the notoriously corrupt (and fictional) city of Gotham.  Perhaps it was the very real political seediness that made the decision a no-brainer.

And all the while the economy continues to be volatile, bail-outs are being proposed and given and denied, even the Screen Actors Guild is on the verge of strike in Hollywood.  Is there any good news?  Well, at least the rapper Common feels that Barack Obama will help to change the face of hip-hop — a face showing a more positive outlook with more hopeful themes.  That’s good news, right?  How about the gas prices?  They’re approaching a five-year low!  Good news?  Good news is hard to find when so much of the 24 hour news cycle is dominated by WTF inducing stories.  My suggestion: turn it off for a while, enjoy the holidays, enjoy your family, friends, fellow humans.  Make your own good news, because the world at large sure isn’t going to without all of us pitching in.  Happy holidays, all.

The common goal behind all social causes is to raise awareness or consciousness surrounding a particular issue, motivating thought and taking action. In order to be effective, it requires committed people with incredible focus and an interested audience. In the past, these movements burned an incredible amount of time simply reaching out, trying to spark interest, educate and usually exhausting resources preventing asking for the support required to further the cause.

In the past many grassroots efforts were reduced to door-to-door strategies, calling people at home or soliciting outside sympathetic storefronts. Results do vary, but more often than not, an eye roll or an apology was the response rather than a smile or handing over cold-hard cash. For the larger, better-funded social causes, the vehicle became traditional media, fighting for the attention of the would be philanthropists among a saturated sea of competing messaging. Reality was, most of these efforts invade inconveniently upon a persons day and going in for the “ask” is less effective without the common interest. It can be hit or miss, really.

How has the gap been bridged? Web 2.0, of course.

Web 2.0, the second generation of web interactivity includes the rise of social networking, collaboration tools, enhanced connectivity, content creation platforms and a vehicle for mass distribution. People have been able to form communities unlike never before, giving strength to the old saying “untied we stand”.

Every day, I log into three or more different websites whose main purpose is bringing like-minded individuals together. Far from being simple communication tools, the online social platforms allow users to create public personas that express likes, dislikes, goals, ideals and values with the intent to connect with others with similar perspectives. Requiring no introduction, the top social networking destinations defined the manner in which we interact with each other online today. MySpace, LiveJournal, Tribe.net, and Facebook are among the more addictive Web 2.0 locations, providing individuals and organizations alike the opportunity to correspond with one another through forums and discussions groups on any topic imaginable. Perhaps the most powerful tool on any one of these sites is the search field. With just a few keystrokes one is instantly connected with countless PEOPLE who together form communities of like-minded individuals, share interests from everything from microbrews to machinima, from synchronized swimming to saving the world. These connections are as real and meaningful as if they were in real life.

Thanks to Web 2.0, virtual is real.

People have been coming together to make a change in response to social causes and to create movements surrounding issues throughout history. Today, coming together no longer takes place exclusively in the three dimensional or “real” world. Virtual communities are just as real with real tools and applications to support any cause.

Take the wildly successful example of Kiva, which was founded in order to facilitate peer-to-peer connections between investors and entrepreneurs. Kiva was built as an open platform to allow anyone with $25 to invest in a small business in a developing country. Partnering with microfinance institutions in developing countries, Kiva managed to lower microfinancing as a whole, creating more transparency, thus greater interest. People helping people regardless of their geographical location.

Let’s think bigger, now. Really big. How about UNICEF? Many years ago, their first website comprised of a series of pictures, testimonials alongside a mailing address of where to send donations. Reflective of the early web, a passive experience, to say the least. Now the UNICEF site fully integrates Web 2.0 strategies through interactive games, videos testimonials and features plus the ability to engage with others across the planet on various topical issues. Fully integrated social networking and built in accountability is what makes their current site such a success. Granted, present on every page is the ability to choose your method of contribution, but that’s not all you see. You see the faces of others who are doing their part. You see familiar names and not so familiar stories. You see the accumulated results and how people just like you have made a difference. These strategies make a difference in the countless other success stories pertaining to social causes, both large and small.

The Web 2.0 trend has changed the face of giving and has created new rules effecting all social change from the largest not-for-profit organization to the solitary person with a vision, benefiting both philanthropists and the beneficiaries alike. This is the golden ticket for social entrepreneurs, politicians and grass roots activists. Voice is empowerment. Empowered people create movements. Social movements cause change.

Social movements are happening now, both online and off, strengthened through the language of Web 2.0. This is the context within a new paradigm of interaction and the implications are borderless. However, like an abstract painting, one does not have to truly understand it in order to appreciate it and receive genuine benefits simply from its presence.

Cause Marketing, a strategy commonly used, has proven effective in both deepening brand value and gaining exposure for worthy causes. The general idea of cause [related] marketing involves the cooperative efforts of a “for profit” business and a “not for profit” organization for mutual benefit.

Simple formula? Sure! Far reaching results. You bet…. But the benefits are NOT only what’s visible on the surface. In other words, the value added cannot only be gauged through tracking sales and press coverage. The benefits reside deeper, on an emotional level that impact the long-term customer – brand relationship.

Plainly, organizations that associate themselves with causes receive the benefits through that association creating an emotional link between the two. In other words, combining a brand name with the good feelings that surround a specific cause can create a beneficial emotional charge.

Consider this basic example of the principles of cause marketing. Imagine that you are hungry and simply want to fulfill the functional aspect of feeding your hunger. You don’t particularly desire a formal dining experience instead would prefer a simple, hassle-free wholesome meal. You are in the midst of making a decision of where to eat, and a light bulb goes off in your head. You remember the comfortable casual family run hamburger joint on the corner. A light flashes…Perfect! Automatically your mind drifts to the poorly framed photograph of the local little league team they sponsor on the wall. Next your remember the kids smiling faces, the time you spent looking at each face wondering what each of them will be when they grow up. You are reminded of your childhood dreams and the excitement you once had about growing up and relaxed back into the wonderment of youth. Whatever or wherever it takes you, it’s pleasant. Suddenly, you are craving that cheeseburger and fries plate you had there last time…. a wholesome satisfying meal, pleasant experience and a friendly retreat. Yeah, that’s what you are going to do, where you are going to eat.

Simply illustrated, a perfect balance of emotion influencing one’s buying decision.

The historical basis for the term “Cause Marketing” is attributed to a campaign created in New York by American Express in 1983 that linked consumer card usage to raising money and awareness for the local charity. This local charity just happened to be the Statue of Liberty, a smart choice, well known cause with a huge brand POP!

American Express was acutely aware that the functional benefits of using their product far out weighed any emotional benefit. Functional benefits were strong and include the qualities of convenience, purchasing power, prestige, trust, etc. In order to layer the emotional benefit, in 1983, American Express launched a new campaign targeting both the cardholder and local vendors (that accepted American Express cards). The idea behind the campaign was to increase card use. For every dollar spent using the card, AMEX would donate 1¢ towards the charity. The campaign itself helped promote the local business while proceeds were raised for the Statue of Liberty Restoration project at the same time. A great example of a win – win campaign, absolutely brilliant! Contributing its success, the campaign combined the functional benefits of using American Express’ service (making a purchase the Amex charge card) and the emotional benefit of contributing to a noble and patriotic cause. FEEL GOOD while SPENDING MONEY (=making purchases with the American Express card). There were measurable and traceable results, however the true value added was successfully penetrating American Express’ customers emotional core infusing a great feeling during card usage (brand experience). Delivering emotional benefits to customers IS the actual goal in this case.

Marketers swiftly learned from this campaign. Here are two other examples of successful cause related marketing campaigns, each with a unique spin.

Recently Saturn Cars launched a cause marketing strategy as part of its recent “Rethink American” campaign. Saturn partnered with “Habitat for Humanity” to raise awareness and capital for the non-profit organization. In conjunction with a 60% increase in sales in February 2007, Saturn said “yes” to this community cause initiative. It strengthened the Saturn brand and affected the bottom line.

“A Different Kind of Car Company” required a different kind of approach. What drove the campaign? Brand values, the value to give back, serve and contribute to humanity.

Parrotino, Saturn’s national sales promotion manager faced the challenge by answering this question: “what can we do to make the world better?” The answer was clear: contribute to building environmentally conscious homes for people, the kind of act people get behind, the kind of people that buy Saturns. The campaign launched by teaming up with the well-known non-profit Habitat for Humanity. Employees of the General Motors Saturn division (also known as the people who build Saturn’s), volunteered their time building homes for a Colorado Springs community project facilitated through Habitat for Humanity. These efforts were well publicized, benefiting both organizations further humanizing the Saturn brand, which ultimately bridged a stronger emotional connection between Saturn’s buying audience.

Again, a much bigger reward than simply boosting sales. Saturn has managed to emotionally penetrate the car buying public through humanizing the brand, making it about the people who build the cars, rather than the cars themselves. (Core Saturn brand value) Habitat for Humanity also benefited from the efforts through subsequent fundraising strengthened through the national awareness. True to Saturn’s repositioning strategy, they continue to own the market position as General Motors’ most socially conscious brand.

Another example to consider is the highly successful execution of the multi-tiered cause marketing campaign, (Product) RED. Co-founded by Bobby Shriver and U2 front man Bono, (Product) RED joins with “iconic” brands to develop special RED versions of existing products (Apple iPods, Converse sneakers, etc). When the specialty-branded products are sold, a percentage of the profits are donated to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS. The campaign has already earned $36 million for The Global Fund, with more and more companies signing up to “go RED” every day. Much of this success can be attributed to the shrewd business plan at the base of (Product) RED. Bono and Shriver’s motivation wasn’t to form a new charity, but to create a steady flow of cash from the private sector for an international cause. The only way to ensure a sustainable income from for-profit businesses was to make certain that they would receive direct financial benefit from (Product) RED sales. Choosing to sell already popular items with a “cause” attached guaranteed increased purchases for participating companies.

Instead of attempting to revolutionize the playing field of a consumer culture, Bono and Shriver are simply playing the game. Assuming that cause marketing will be successful, they are in essence creating a win-win situation wherein the consumer’s emotional response results in a purchase that benefits both large corporations and The Global Fund. But what’s made (Product) RED so successful amidst a sea of other cause marketing agencies is the masterful branding of the (Product) RED brand? With appealing (RED) logos and a traffic-stopping color scheme, a (RED) product is easily identifiable by the contemporary shopper as a symbol of smart, charitable, and trendy spending. The most well-known RED ad campaign is for GAP, which features celebrities wearing t-shirts with prints such as DESI (RED) and EMPOWE (RED).

Using cause marketing strategies to position, promote and associate a brand with a charitable cause for a common advantage is growing evermore popular. However great care and attention must be given to these efforts. As marketers, never forget the true value lies within building emotionally beneficial relationships with your customers, experiences that feel good, thus building equity in your brand over time. Priceless.

While strolling along the aisles of the national marketplace, I pretend to be astounded by the myriad of products and brand choices presented to me, all fighting for my attention. I notice that “A” attracts me visually, “B’s” jingle plays mercilessly in my head and the color theme of “C” seems to remind me of a vacation I took many years ago. So why do I select “D” instead of “A” “B” or “C”? What stimulates and motivates the act of making a purchase? From indecision to the knowing smile on my face, “D” becomes my choice and can be the start of a loyal relationship with that brand or product. (Every marketers dream!)

Defining reasons behind these brand preferences can be a complex task, nonetheless it is certain the common thread will always be the experiential process, often referred to as the “brand experience”. However, this article is not intended to define the customers’ experience, it is vital to identify how buying decisions are based on those interactions or “relationships”. Relationships? Yes, relationships. You see, everything we experience in the world is in “relation” to ourselves. That relationship, how one thing fits into a singular perception is really the key to branding. There are really two sides to this relationship. The person having the relationship, and that to whom the relationship is formed. From the human perspective it’s simple to define a relationship based on complex qualities of another person, like personality, core values, style, heritage, commonalities, likes, dislikes, etc. In most cases, the more you have in common, the stronger relationships you have. That’s why you have strong bonds with some of your friends over the bonds or friendships you have with others.

Now if we look at this from the perspective of the business owner, brand manager and / or head of marketing, your task is really to create a human connection with a person (your target audience) to your brand. But since your brand isn’t a person, you must add dimension to your brand, giving it depth to which your customer can have a meaningful relationship with. That’s the complex nature of a relationship you need to create for your brand with your customer. However, a brand is NOT a person and if you think of a piece of cardboard, an inanimate object, one will have a difficult time having a relationship with that. In other words, focusing on the nature of the relationship with the intent of creating brand loyalty won’t do you a hill of good unless you are clear and focused about what and who your brand is.

This article is written to help you, the business owner, create a powerful brand and provide the steps to define just “what you do” and “who you are” in order to facilitate your customers’ relationship with your brand. No mistake, being clear and concise about these “5 brand must knows” are at the foundation of your success.

1. Know your Personality.
Simply stated, different personality characteristics appeal to different audiences. On a subconscious level, people connect with brands that have likable personality traits, traits they can identify with, traits that they aspire to be. The first step in this process is to define your brand personality, which leads to increasing the overall brand engagement (and attachment,) in much the same way as people relate and connect to people. Simply put, much of the work in the area of brand personality is based on translating theories of human personality and similarly, identifying the dominant personality attributes and factors. For example, your customer may identify with a brand for its characteristics, for its functional benefits, social position, emotional outlook and its human like- traits. “See,” Joe says, “‘X’ vehicles exude family-oriented values, while ‘Y’ radiates pretension and further ‘Z’ reflects the athletic and competitive qualities I recognize in myself.” Eh hem…. So think of this, if the category ‘X’ symbolizes who you are, then you will be tempted to buy a brand that has the same aspirations. Likewise, consumer “Joe” would tend to buy a Porsche rather than a family car, if he feels it symbolizes who he is. An association is systematically set up in the consumer’s mind. In this sense, every brand needs to be as unique as each of its consumer. However a word of warning, your personality MUST BE AUTHENTIC. As humans, we do have an inner sense about these things. Be warned, we DO reject brands that lack authenticity and those whose personality characteristics are not consistent.

2. Know what you do well.
Based on knowing what you do, the objective now is to maintain and promote the brand’s uniqueness. Figure out what you do well and push it. Whatever qualities your product, brand possess, spotlight it, strengthen it, grow it. It will be the factor for differentiation and consequently will offer you the opportunity to carve out your niche. To be credible in the eyes of your audience, your argumentation of sale may emphasize your know-how, the passion that electrifies your work, the “love” message or the concern for the environment that drives your process. These features are what make your brand truly unique and distinctive. Doing what you do doesn’t always set you apart. Knowing what you do well and focusing on that little kernel of truth can set your brand apart.

3. Know why you do what you do.
But wait! There’s more. Knowing what you do well is not all of it, the next step requires digging deep into motivation, drive and look at purpose square in the eye. It lies somewhere behind the motivation to “make money” and reveals the core purpose for doing what you do. It’s pretty liberating, and is the main component for forming what’s commonly referred to as the “brand promise” In essence, your core motivations that drive your business benefit your customers in some way by fulfilling a need (whether function or emotional). Many businesses overlook this step and think the only strategy necessary is the art of seduction, separating your customer from their cash. If you fall into this trap, you may overlook the true purpose of branding, which is really the art of creating relationships between people. Delivering a brand promise based on your business’ passion or motivation and fulfilling your customers’ needs IS the basis for such a relationship. Whew! Lot to uncover, lot to consider, we know… but armed with this knowledge, you are a step closer to facing the marketplace. (We promise)

4. Know you Competitors
Know your market, know your competition, whether they actually exist or not. To do this, simply take a look around you, examine your market, your business category and your specific vertical. Are their other players orbiting your stage? Chances are, you have a lot more competitors than you think. To determine if they are really a competitor, evaluate if they have similar offerings, similar products or similar services. For example, a dance studio may believe they compete exclusively with other dance studios. But if a potential modern dance student thinks of the free Lindy-Hop dance instruction offered by the local nightclub before the band starts, the dance studio owner must evaluate how the swing dance classes are being marketed. The wanna-be Dancers with the Stars you want as a new student may just choose spending their dance dollar and dance instruction time commitment elsewhere. In other words, that local nightclub IS considered a competitor, even though they sit in a totally different market segment. It would be in your best interest to learn more about what makes them successful and identify the specifics of their offerings that entice your potential audience. If you can mange to see things from your audience’s perspective, you may just learn a lot. See if you can identify how your competitors satisfy their brand promise. Look at their marketing materials and promotional tools to try to get a sense of what you are missing. Then turn that knowledge inward to your brand and make adjustments. You may not be offering the night club atmosphere, but you can surly satisfy the promise of fun and fantasy too, provide the vehicle to allow your audience to dream of their feet dancing in harmony with a famous counter-part.

5. Know your Target.
Knowing your target really means know the people you would like to sell to. Imagine yourself throwing a dinner party in your home for each and everyone of your customers. You know who they are, welcome them as a friend into your home and have a connection with each person. But that’s impossible, you say! Well we know that, that’s why we said, “imagine”. In order to define those people (not demographics or metrics) you will need to segment the market as much as possible using ‘psychographics’ as your guide. This includes defining your audience through:

• Lifestyle: conservative, exciting, trendy, economical
• Social class: lower, middle, upper
• Opinion: easily led or opinionated
• Activities and interests: sports, physical fitness, shopping, books
• Attitudes and beliefs: environmentalist, security conscious.

It’s recommended that you do some research to find out just how they purchase. For example, uncover their buying habits, defining preference traits like seasonal, local, volume and promotional decisions. With all this information uncovered, you should have a picture emerging of your ‘ideal’ customer (or who you want it to be).

Follow these 5 “Must Knows” for Brand Success and you will have focused brand, which knows itself, knows its audience and make an authentic promise that create a lasting relationship. In your quest to uncover your brand, be inquisitive, harass and tickle. Get into it and get clear. In the end, you will have an authentic brand that will rise above the rest, be noticed by the right people and establish a relationship between your brand and your customer. Brand recognition is literally your brand, company or product, imprinted into the consciousness of your audience. Powerful process, keep it authentic!

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How do you know if it’s time to reinvigorate your brand? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you unsatisfied with the bottom line, sales, and growth?
2. Have you seen a lack of new business referrals from current clients / customers?
3. Have you noticed fewer and fewer repeat/loyal customers?
4. Are your competitors outshining your brand?
5. Do you feel it’s time to enter a new market?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s time to reinvigorate your brand!

While owners of larger established brands tend to pay more attention to the care and maintenance of their brand image, periodic brand revitalization or “face lifts” can help increase any business’ sales revenue. Remember, success is measured through sales and strong sales are a result of a strong relationship your customers have with your brand. Thus, the need is great to reinvigorate your brand when sales are flat. Investing in your brand is good health, with potential high quality returns on investment. Here are some strategies for reinvigorating your brand:

Refine and Define Your Brand’s Vision
One of the first rules of branding is: Great brands know themselves. In most cases, companies do not revisit their vision once the business has been launched. We know it’s a laborious task, but time invested in your brand is not time wasted. In other words, “making” the time to re-examine the overall vision, mission and business objectives seems to happen less, or not at all, as the practice of actually conducting business becomes the priority. However the reality is that over time, visions shift and values adjust. New opportunities present themselves, and new avenues are to be explored. Taking time annually to revisit these things and make adjustments is an eye opening experience for all stakeholders involved. This process tends to fuel both the external relationship with your customers as well as reinvigorate and motivate your staff. It’s a “Win-Win” situation, I’d say.

1. Review where you’ve been.
   Review your brand’s history, heritage, beliefs and roots. Don’t forget to include your brand culture.
2. Rewrite your brand vision.
   Your brand vision identifies your company’s purpose for existing. It reveals a broader, deeper, viewpoint that enriches your customers, your authentic purpose for doing business. Identify what brought you to this point and ask yourself what has changed and what has stayed the same. The answers to these questions will help you assess what actions need to be taken.
3. Redefine your personality.
   Personality helps your brand come alive! It makes your brand accessible and human, helping differentiate it and adding dimension to your business. If strategically sound, there is inherent credibility and likability present. Authentically define your brand personality. Are you charismatic, loyal, playful or traditional? Your brand should exude these characteristics.
4. Reinvent your brand character.
   Brand character is really about the culture of your brand. Take a look at your organization’s value system that drives the way you do business and how you interact with your customers, team members and suppliers. The clues are found in your company’s principles and attitudes also know as “brand characteristics.” It is also important to remember that your brand is not a static entity, it should be fluid and able to grow. It should flow and flex as your company does.

Know your Customer. Serve Your Base.
After doing business for a period of time, trends become more apparent. It’s obvious which avenues of production, promotion and exposure are working. It’s also obvious, which are not. Do not be afraid to confront your customer. They will not hesitate to tell you exactly what they want. Record their wants and needs and keep your information well organized. Use your historical data wisely. Take time to ascertain why your customers are responding to one avenue or the other. This tends to provide a clue as to what your customers want. Analyzing these metrics combined with readily available market research is one way to map out the future of your creative campaigns as it relates to your overall brand rejuvenation.

Make new friends and keep the old.
This step is really about building new relationships and reinvigorating existing customer relationships. It’s impossible to improve on any relationship until you gain clarity as to where the current relationship stands. It’s never too late to start, but first your team must assess exactly where you are at in the minds of your customers, ascertaining their perception of your brand and deciphering their overall experience based on sales, feedback, past campaign and promotional response. Here are 3 simple steps to rebuild and retool your brand relationships:

1. Compare and contrast where the current and past customer / brand relationships stand by defining the relationship traits. From the customer’s point of view, are the current and past relationships to your brand uplifting, empowering, growing, deep, lasting, ongoing, consistent, accessible, responsive, and likable?
2. Define the traits of the type of customer relationships you would like to establish.
3. Design a campaign including benchmarks for feedback to gauge the successes of the effort.

Invite Everyone to the Dance.
It is highly critical to have a clean intention and genuine desire to add value to your stakeholders. This enforces your organization’s positive brand positioning and perception. Inclusiveness is paramount in the re-branding process. All the customers, shareholders, employees and all stakeholders must be constantly invited to all management meetings and functions and must have a stake in all company messages.

Your new brand image.
There are two aspects of a brand image: how you “want” to be seen and how you are “actually” seen. The challenge is to direct, shape and focus how customers see you and how they feel about your brand. The brand image is what is physically in front of the customer’s eyes and senses and the impressions that will ultimately effect the perception of the product. It’s time to redefine and redesign!

Take a new position.
Decide how you want your brand to be positioned in your customer’s mind. Marketers can influence how a brand is positioned in the customer’s minds, but it’s your customers who actually position the brand. Remember that. The challenge here is to help shape and direct the positioning in a proactive manner. Brand position is about integrated communications advertising, word of mouth, publicity and in-enterprise experiences.

Set Goals, Track Results
The most important role on the management’s front is to measure the results and compare them with the targets set at the start. The results and reports must be analyzed to improve further progress and key decisions must be taken with all the fall-backs being looked into as well.

Commit and deliver
Being 100% committed to your brand means being 100% consistent in everything you do. This is critical in delivering a successful long-term brand experience. Get your team on board. Dive into dialogue with your team and customers about your new commitments. Get feedback. Every time you change or revise your message to your customers or every time you don’t deliver on the promise, you defeat your goals and prove untrustworthy. That’s not good for morale, your bottom line, or your overall brand equity.

Release Campaign
Overall the management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling apart from a systematic coordination, are necessary. Event sponsorship, door-to-door selling, engaging the customer emotionally and providing rich ambiance can also turn out to generate tons of money inflow.

“Brand Engagement” is a term loosely used to describe the process of forming an attachment (emotional and rational) between a person and a brand” as the Wikipedia says it. With the latest trend of under-one-roof systems everywhere, the business strategy has transformed itself through enriching patrons with an ‘experience’ that emotionally engages. Book a United Airlines business class flight to Las Vegas and you will be served champagne, gourmet treats, all the cocktails you can drink + comfy slippers. The next time you fly you will remember the experience, (unless you had too many cocktails) and that memory will influence your future purchasing decisions even if you are flying coach. Thus, the strategy of brand building has moved a step further from just selling, to ‘selling an experience to creating a positive engagement with the brand’

Fully master this technique and you will succeed. However this is not a “pull-the-rabbit-out-of-the-hat” trick. A powerful brand engagement is achieved through long-term consistent service, innovations, consistency and establishing a relationship with your customers. For start-ups and new companies it’s a learning process and it takes total commitment, hard work and empathy.

In most cases, consumers first learn about your business before trying out your products or services. Therefore effective messaging is essential, answering your consumers needs from the get go. Your customers want relevant information and their imagination must be inspired, picturing the benefits applied to them from your products or services. That’s the beginning of an emotional connection which births the relationship called the “brand engagement”.

Once you and your workforce realize they are the ultimate holder of the brand, you / they must always be conscious of delivering information, service, and self-reliance that inspires your workforce to apply their finest judgment throughout the consumer interaction cycle. It is ultimately the staff and subordinates with the support of the management that create an impression on the customer through the service and ambiance.

A good place to start is to focus on the key values, your organization has been built upon and then understand the consumer perception of the brand. This is your foundation for a communication strategy focused on improving the consumer perception of your brand. Simplicity is best. A brand should stand for one general theme in the mind of your customer. Getting your brand value and positioning accurately tuned will inform the relationship and eventually the overall brand engagement. Considerations also include your brand image, identity, personality as well as the brand name and brand loyalty most importantly.

Carefully crafting an emotional connection, humanizing your organization in your consumer’s heart, is a key factor in securing success. Sounds a little “foo – foo?” Maybe, but think about this. Relationships are built on emotional connections. Emotional connections inform long-term engagements. Long term engagements equals brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is money in the bank. Foo foo or not, once you have succeeded in creating this bond, your business is sure to prosper.

(Need help with the process? jungle 8 can help)