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JUNE 05 VOL. 3: NO. 3

CONTENTS:
1. Building brands that build companies
2. BookByte: Have more fun while your company prospers
3. E-Broadcaster updates available online

Three ways to leverage branding to improve sales
Branding and its role in building trust

Having trust in a company or product is the fastest way to make a sale. If people trust your brand, they will buy. Branding is about presenting an image your target audience trusts. Building trust starts with understanding your brand and communicating it consistently.

Do you need a national-sized budget to compete with other brands? No. But a company with a million dollar budget is going to do things differently than a company with only two thousand. The principles are the same, but the approach needs to be aligned to your budget.

Use these strategies to increase brand trust:

1.

Define your brand. Sounds simple, but most companies don't have a written strategy about who and what their brand represents. Consistency in presenting your brand in language, tone and look is key to building trust.
2. Care about the details. People develop opinions about companies from many small details. The pocket folder is as important as a brochure if it's the first thing someone sees. A smart client of mine is even thinking about the appearance of his order forms.
3.

Put your brand in front of your target repeatedly. Recognition builds trust. An advertising campaign is the expensive way to start. Sponsorships, email marketing, targeted PR and partnerships with other companies with the same target audience allow you to broadcast your brand at a more affordable cost per impression.

How to have more fun succeeding

Editor's note: You always need to keep learning to stay creative. Here's some wealth from a great business book to help in that quest.
The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack is not a book on marketing but its message enhances a marketing program. The premise is that open book management, sharing financial information, is the key to building an organization that works as a team to succeed. Open book management's benefits include: making work fun as people aim to beat the numbers, increasing teamwork for a common goal, and helping employees recognize that every role affects the outcome.

This mindset is relevant to marketing. Effective marketing isn't about having the right brochure or a specific functionality on the website. It is about trying new things and evaluating results.

This book will encourage you to look for ways to make work fun. When the fun is tied to financial performance, you can laugh all the way to the bank.

Recent Inspire newsletters: Vol. 2: No.5, Vol. 3: No.1, Vol. 3: No.2

Spire2 helps companies grow brands. From strategy through execution we can help you execute a brand that supports your business goals. Contact us about a fr*ee consultation.

Hope knows her brands. Do you know yours, [first_name]?

Branding's central role in our culture is not news. My kids are growing up in a branded environment that infiltrates almost every aspect of our lives. Dad doesn't drink coffee, he drinks Starbucks®. We don't occasionally eat donuts at church, we partake of Krispy Cremes®. It always shocks me (though it shouldn't) at how young my children recognize brands and all their associations. Even before she could say a sentence, my youngest daughter, Hope, would reject all baby dolls except an American Girl® Bitty Baby®.

Even if you don't have a national brand, your brand is important in creating trust that leads to sales. Read my strategies to help you maximize your efforts.

You think branding isn't that important? I hope you don't sell baby dolls.

Best,

Jeffery James

P.S. Need a new idea? I would be happy to brainstorm with you. Email me or call 630.462.2567 to schedule a fr*ee consultation.

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Sign up to receive Inspire every other month.
Includes tips, ideas and reviews on marketing issues – for free and without obligation.