Tweet

HOW TO CREATE A BRAND ONE PROSPECT AT A TIME

Written by: Mike Schultz

Article Overview: By Robert Croston Having spent longer than I care to admit pursuing traditional brand development through advertising, I recently became fascinated with the prospect of building brands using direct response marketing and lead generation activities. (I wonder what my colleagues at the ad firm would think if they knew!) Traditional wisdom has always told us marketing types that our marketing communications are either 1) emotionally oriented and image based OR 2) direct oriented and response based activities. You simply can't do both at the same time. Or can you?

HOW TO CREATE A BRAND ONE PROSPECT AT A TIME

By Robert Croston

Having spent longer than I care to admit pursuing traditional brand development through advertising, I recently became fascinated with the prospect of building brands using direct response marketing and lead generation activities. (I wonder what my colleagues at the ad firm would think if they knew!)

Traditional wisdom has always told us marketing types that our marketing communications are either 1) emotionally oriented and image based OR 2) direct oriented and response based activities. You simply can't do both at the same time.

Or can you?

Think about it. Every piece of communication you send to a prospect or client creates an impression. That impression, if reinforced consistently over time, builds a certain image in the mind of your prospects.

If you are continuously communicating to your prospects with integrated messaging, you are building a brand whether you use an advertising or a direct marketing approach.

Pulling Back the Curtain

Question: How can these two vastly different principles (one focusing on image and perceptions, the other on outcomes and relationships) be delivered in one marketing campaign?

Answer: By demonstrating your value in the marketing itself.

Because sales cycles for professional services are often long (and getting longer), it often takes a number of “touches”, sustained over a number of months (or years), to nurture a prospect into a client. Each touch is meaningful to the recipient only if it delivers value (i.e. an offer for a white paper, seminar invitation, research brief, etc.).

This value, and the consistent use of integrated messaging that reinforces your value proposition and market position, creates a dynamic where the prospect not only responds to your offers (direct), but begins to understand what you do and forms a perception around the value you offer (brand).

Here is how it works:

You mail or email a value based offer that integrates well with your company's market position, for example you send them an an offer to hear the top-line results of research you have completed

A certain percentage of your prospects respond to this offer

You deliver the research, giving you an opportunity to reinforce your message and value

You follow up by phone and schedule an appointment to discuss how this research relates to your prospect's business

In the meeting, you find that this prospect is an ideal candidate for your services, but not ready to purchase, so you put the prospect on a lead nurturing program

Over a number of months you:

Call inviting them to a seminar or speech

Email an offer to do something for them

Mail an article featuring one of their competitors

Send a custom email with additional research findings

Call to follow up on the email

Send a targeted direct mail campaign

Finally, after months of “touching” this prospect with value based offers, you receive a call from them because the time is right and the hook has been set.

Creating an Impression

These direct activities create impressions just like advertisements might. But they also create awareness, recognition, and ultimately preference for you and your services. We call this the Brand RAMP. As your communications campaign unfolds, the prospect is led up the ramp by receiving value-oriented communications.

Wellesley Hills Group Brand RAMP

Recognize: I know who they are. (This starts with the original research offer.)

Articulate: I know what they do (They learn this through an appointment about how the research relates to their business.)

Memorize: I'd remember them. (This happens through continuous touches.)

Prefer: They're the leader…I'm dying to work with them…They're very valuable…(This happens through ongoing value-based offers and conversations.)

This not only builds a brand (an image of you and your firm in the minds of your prospects), it demonstrates your brand and the value it represents. By repeatedly delivering valuable information, you consistently demonstrate your worth. This is far more powerful then just saying it, which does nothing to create a distinct and genuine impression in the minds of your prospects.

Using the Right Tools

Direct marketing isn't the only way to build a brand, but it definitely is a great part of it, considering the dynamics of a service company and the need for consistent articulation of your value across all touch points (verbal, electronic, and print).

The right marketing program, that “touches” your prospects regularly, with highly targeted, value-oriented messages, will increase awareness, recognition and preference. While most of the world still believes companies should build brand through image based advertising, a direct approach will get the same work done, and add revenue and leads at the same time. Does your advertising do that?

Related Articles
  5 Branding Tips for Creating a Bold Small Business Promise
  The Power of a Brand Name and how to make your own brand powerful
  Marketing and Selling
  Sell the Store, Not the Chair
  When They Do Not Buy

Article Tags: building a brand, colleagues, direct marketing, direct response marketing, generation activities, lead generation, mail, market position, marketing campaign, marketing communications, perception, perceptions, professional services, prospects, pulling back the curtain, s market, sales cycles, seminar invitation, traditional wisdom, value proposition



Related Forum Posts
Re: Is facebook adverts effective? - We have done it for our online live tutoring services. But, I have decided not to use it again because we could know that there were around 250 clicks in a week ,but we could not see capitalise a single student. We targeted UK based 24-30 or something. We actually received a very few (I think around5 out of 250 clicks!) ... They too seem to be Indians and Pakistanis residing in the UK with a full time student visa, which prevents them from taking online lessons from us (then why they clicked our ads and even contacted us mean, I think, they do not going to lose anything!) ... So, I realised that our target market UK based PART TIME ACCA and CIMA students do not use FaceBook to browse ACCA and CIMA related sites although they use FaceBook. So, as our website is for ACCA and CIMA courses, probably it might have been shown in ACCA and CIMA FaceBook groups, where FULL TIME students were browsing it. So, I think it is we, selected the wrong medium .... Not to blame FaceBook I think .... So, it mainly depends on your target market, where they reside and actually from that area/country, truly would your target group see your adverts ? Much to consider ....
Re: How much is social media part of your marketing strategy? - The magic word: TIME If i had more time... but since I don' have it i go strictly to other marketing methods, that brings in more targeted traffic, like article marketing.
Single mother business - Hi Evan, Every problem can be solved. Check these four 'T' points: 1. THINK that you are important. Therefore one can do anything one sets her mind to. This can be applied to many different types of businesses. Perhaps she has set her mind on a specific market. With the help of the internet one can explore avenues of possible area to fill the need. 2. TRUST yourself that you are able. It doesn't matter, if you make a mistake. You know your strength and weaknesses. Concentrate on strength, this is your potential. 3. TEAM-UP with somebody. Perhaps a friend, who has some experience in this. You can get good advice and encouragement. There are Nay-sayers out there, just ignore them. Look for positive and achievers These can be a great strength. Finally, 4. TIME for your children. When you have a routine set up, you can plan ahead to be with them. As they get older, they will understand the reason for you to work. Kindest Regards Beat "Unlock People's Potentials!"
Re: Email Marketing, Permission Based - I agree that a double-opt-in (i.e. confirmed opt-in) system of email marketing is the best method. Of course, having people confirm their subscription is no guarantee that they will read your email! Signing up subscribers is only the FIRST stage. The next thing you need to get is their TRUST, and the best way to "get" is not to "sell" but to "give"... - give freebies - give useful, valuable tips - get the subscribers to feel that opening your mail is something WORTH SPENDING TIME ON. Entertain them, make them laugh, but always give them something of value connected to the niche market that your newsletter deals with. - invite feedback - use the [[firstname]] tag, and don't be afraid to use it in the newsletter title field either! Cheers, David H


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Leader's Success Secret: Celebration

••••••>SEO Tip Of The Day: HTML Validation

Selling On Ebay The Good The Bad And The Ugly

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.