Industrial Branding: Why It's Important - Part II

Written by Kerry O'Malley Monday, 27 July 2009 18:58

A few weeks ago I wrote about why even industrial companies should consider "branding" just as important as companies that sell to the mass, consumer market.  Hopefully, I convinced you!

Companies that are serious about branding usually incorporate some key elements into the branding process.  Listed below are ten major steps to branding, from initial development, to follow-up and refinement.

1. The company -By utilizing interviews, understand your company history, its culture, products, senior management's objectives, their view of the market and their commitment to the concept of branding.  To succeed, your branding initiative must have their understanding, support, and financial commitment.
2. The competition - Audit the marketing communications (ads, brochure, website, etc.) of your major competitors to determine the range of "values" that drive their business, how they position themselves and what claims are made by them.  How does it compare to your own?  Is there a claim that they do NOT make that you feel is important to your target market?  Is it one that you CAN make?
3. The customer - Develop a questionnaire from the 2 steps above and either mail or personally interview key customers and prospects to gauge awareness, what values are most important to them, and to determine how you and your competitors are rated on these values.
4. Develop brand strategy - From the above steps, develop recommended brand positioning that is achievable, differentiating, compelling, likeable - and long term.
5. Gain buy-in - Sell your brand positioning across the company, to top management and to all departments that have outside public contact.  Use all sources of internal communications to "market" your plan.  Gain allies and commitment.
6. Develop integrated marketing communications plan - Use your brand strategy to integrate across a broad range of marketing communications vehicles - advertising, marketing literature, P/R, direct mail, Internet, etc. Make absolutely sure that your marketing team or agency understands your vision.  That may mean spending more time with them up front.   Also, look to extend brand strategy into non-marcom departments (customer service, outside sales, engineering.)
7. Execute creatively - Firm control is needed to assure adherence to the brand strategy.  Try not to let your company president or CEO become the creative director, especially if you have found a good agency.  Hiring an agency to implement your plan will do several things.  First, it will provide fresh creativity and focus from minds that are not already loyal to (or influenced by) certain individuals or agendas within your corporate culture.  It will guarantee consistency, professionalism and that deadlines are met - and it will free you to manage strategy, instead of being a creative coordinator and administrator.
8. Build in continuity - Incorporate consistency in all media created and in media scheduling.  Extend the brand message across product marketing information and all other marketing campaigns.  Don't just plan a launch campaign for 2-3 months and then "go dark" for the balance of the year.
9. Measure performance - Build in ways to measure the effectiveness of your brand strategy.  Many trade publications offer "ad studies" to advertisers at least once a year.  This can be a cost-effective tool for measuring awareness, attitude and general understanding of a publication's readership regarding your company and products.  Take advantage of this type of opportunity whenever possible, as well as setting up tracking systems for marketing communications investments.  Use dedicated toll-free phone numbers and dedicated Internet URL's in ads.  Send follow-up surveys to visitors to your trade show exhibits.  Send periodical questionnaires to customers.
10. Continuously evaluate and improve - By learning from your measurement systems, be strong enough to make changes and redirect as needed.  Have the faith to be patient and let your marketing communications program build your brand.