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Branding is great, but it won’t sell on its own
By Jeffery Gitomer
Sales Moves
What does “branding” mean to you? Growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, I still have a vision of hot branding irons in a coal or wood fire, and some rancher roping a steer or a horse and pushing the red-hot branding iron against its skin to make sure the name of their ranch was “branded” on the animal.
Ouch! But, the brand was on the animal forever.
In today’s marketplace, that’s what all brand makers and brand sellers seek to achieve. Get their name or product emblazoned on the mind of the buyer, and keep it there. Permanently.
One problem: Just because you “know the brand” or “remember the brand” does not mean you’re going to buy it. And the reality is if I know it and recognize it, but I don’t buy it, then all the money spent on branding is wasted. Ouch!
The problem rests with marketing and advertising people; they’re not salespeople.
They know everything in the world about exposure and branding, but jack about making the sale.
The power of marketing is to be able to convert awareness and recognition to purchase. Hey, you over there in marketing. You remember profit, don’t you?
If you’re spending to become known, you better be able to back it up once the potential customer decides to reach out and touch you.
Here are the “be’s” of branding to make a sale:
Be likeable.
Be believable.
Be available.
Be attractive.
Be friendly.
Be service-oriented.
Be first class.
Be consistent.
Be reputable.
Be desirable.
Be trustworthy.
Be top quality.
Be easy to do business with.
Be ‘buzzable.”
Here’s the secret: Have a sales team that can convey and convert the branding message in terms of the buyer (the user, the customer) and get them to buy.
Apple computer has a brand. You’ve seen their ads: funny, compelling, authentic.
Their retail stores match their marketing. Attractive, compelling, with helpful smart people, and it’s easy to make a purchase. And to make certain their branding message reaches the consumer in a reassuring way, they put their own salespeople in other retail outlets to be certain that the customer has all the information needed to make an intelligent decision.
Brand is not just about becoming known and shouting your name. You have to back it up with the elements of quality, consistency, customer focus, customer help, response, service and customer attraction. Then throw in a dose of fun so that the customer actually buys!
When someone sees your brand, or your ad, what do you want them to think?
When someone talks about your brand, what do you want them to say?
When someone sees your ad, or your product, what do you want them to do?
The answers to these three questions are the reality of your brand, your reputation and your ability to make sales.
Here’s the lesson: With all the branding hoopla and information in the marketplace, you would think it difficult to make a statement or a claim that hasn’t been said or done before. And you would be wrong.
If you’re looking to brand, get known, build a reputation and make sales, you only have to:
Study your local market.
Look at the global market for other ideas.
Listen to the voice of your present customers.
Study creativity.
Build a customer-focused message.
Back it with quality and deeds.
Dedicate your people to friendly service.
And create the atmosphere where people want to, and are able to, buy.
Light the fire. Get the branding iron hot. Burn your brand on the mind and wallet of your customer. But be prepared to sell when they get there, or be prepared to lose to someone who is.
And here’s the bonus; If you’re able to brand and sell, your competition will hate your guts. What could be better than that?
Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling, is president of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer. E-mail him at salesman@gitomer.com.
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