Using numbers in names can be powerful.

In describing the next iteration of an existing product, using a number after the product's original name both ties the brand into the heritage of the past success the product enjoyed, and provides a springboard for the advanced product. Since the old and new do not sit side-by-side on the shelf, the new product is not a line extension. It is a replacement. So you benefit from both the equity of the old brand and the promise of the new are enjoyed. Using the next number in sequence provided that clue to consumers.

Now some numbers in and of themselves have a connotation and relevance: Lucky 7, Fifth Dimension, Catch 22.

In a competitive situation, the number 1 can have significance as a rating device (Bank One or First Bank).

A progression of numbers, if well publicized, can have meaning - 707, 737, 747, 757 for Boeing's jet craft, or Mach 3 for Gillette's space-age razor. And of course software developers are prone to release improved versions of their products with version numbers (CorelDRAW 12, Net Objects Fusion 9).

For some small businesses, using the facility's address may make sense because it also guides customers to the site.

There are also several famous number combinations - 1776, 4-minute mile, Apollo 8 that convey positive association and reaction.

Finally, for some product types, using mathematical expressions and symbols might be worth investigating: The sign for infinity, a "plus" sign, a term "squared".

Perhaps not for every product or company, but certainly for some, you might consider numbers a part of a powerful name.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

You might recall that I recently dissed American Furniture Warehouse for beginning to use their initials instead of their name in their promotions.

Well I got a call from the marketing manager at American Furniture Warehouse (They'll always be the long name to me) the other day. He just wanted to tell me that the risk they took - and they realized it to be a risk - has paid off in increased sales.

I can't argue with success. But as I told him, I think its the exception that proves the rule.

Now I can see how American Furniture Warehouse may have become "your parent's furniture store" what with young people having been dragged to and through the warehouse as a kid. But there's still equity and loyalty to the old brand, even among young marrieds who are just starting the home furnishing adventure.

Here's what I would have recommended: In each American Furniture Warehouse store, a new sub-branded area be set aside for the more adventurous. Perhaps create an IKEA-like boutique for the younger generation. This sub-brand would have its own marketing program, perhaps using some of the more guerilla-like tactics on today's internet-savvy market members.

Anyway, American Furniture Warehouse has taken a risk which seems to be paying off, at least in the short run. And they wanted me to know, which does indeed speak to the power of blogging.

Martin Jelsema
303-242-5975

www.signaturestrategies.com

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

A couple of blogs ago, I revisited differentiation as a key purpose and component of branding - Differentiation is a strategy, not a tactic. Rita Wilhelm of SnapMonkey.com made this comment:

"I bet differentiation is a constant process, as competitors are sure to follow what works."

Well, certainly you want to repeat your differentiating message over time, but once you've established a ligitimate differentiator, NEVER WAVER. Just keep communicating it and actually practicing it in your business every day, day after day.

Now competitors may follow and become "me too" copycats.

But the power of being FIRST to capture a differentiated position in a product/service category is enormous. Your target market will see copy cats for what they are (also-rans). You will be the leader, the owner of the term that originally differentiated you. It's your for life if you just keep acting and communicating your special attribute.

Now if you try to take over a position already owned by a competitor, you will be considered an "also-ran", a copy cat, an alternative but never a first choice for people finding that differentiator compelling. The lesson: be unique and meaningful to your target markets and continue to strengthen your competitive position through your actions and your messages.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

www.signaturestrategies.com

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

I wrote about the problem of using local place names to name a business a little bit ago. Unless the name defines its specific location (Zuni Street Liquors), a place name becomes a generic name (Denver Liquors) that does not help differentiate the business.

But if you look at geographic names far afield, i.e., out-of-state or out-of-country, you may find very green geographic pastures.

Get a good Atlas and go to the index and scan the town names listed there.

Likely, you'll find name candidates that just roll off the tongue, that set just the right mood, that convey the exact image for your new business. Perhaps you won't find an appropriate name this way. But it only costs you a half hour's time with a $12.00 Atlas (Even less if you buy a used, out-of-date Atlas).

I'll sometimes use an Atlas just to get the creative juices flowing. Once I've captured a dozen or so relevant candidates from, say Vermont, I often find word parts I can combine with other part sources (i.e. combining Alpha with the last syllable of Piedmont = Alphamont)

The founder of Haverhills mail-order business confessed that his business was named this way. He was not from, nor ever visited, Haverhill, MA, but just liked the sound of it. It's been a successful catalog since the mid-1960's.

When you go to a world Atlas, or an historic Atlas, the candidates just multiply.

As an added incentive, you might find a great place to vacation once your business starts generating cash flow.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

www.signaturestrategies.com

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

There's a source of much knowledge about branding trends and principals available to all. It's called www.brandchannel.com. It's a product of Interbrand, a well-known and well-respected branding consultancy for major global branders.

But they have established this resource which is a forum and sounding board for any and all people interested in branding.

In fact, I've submitted and had published several articles you can find in their extensive archive. Once you're there just search for "Jelsema".

But besides me, hundreds of people with thoughts about brands and branding have submitted papers with subjects as far-ranging as "Using Music as a Branding Element" to "Branding in and for the China Market". What a valuable resource! It's all available free through a keyword search.

Brandchannel.com also contains a directory of branding resources, features a new debate and a new feature article each week, profiles people and firms involved in branding, and reviews books and of course, publishes Interbrand papers, reports and publicity.

Anyone interested in branding, even branding for smaller companies, should check out www.brandchannel.com.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

I recently watched a video of a "marketing guru" claiming differentiation and positioning had to do with making a unique offer in a unique way.

I say differentiation is a company's strategic position that drives everything: what products are marketed, what markets are targeted and what offers are developed.

It's not a media selection. It's not a specific appeal or offer. It's not a copywriting technique.

To really differentiate a company and their offerings from their competitors, they must identify and adopt a meaningful (to customers) and desirable position. It must be unique as well.

Then comes the vital part: they must make that differentiator the core of their business. All activities must surround and support the difference.

Some who've set good examples:

FedEx: their entire business was structured around the differentiator - overnight deliveries, guaranteed.

Hallmark: "When you care enough to send the very best" is the watchword in product design, TV commercials, store promotions and everything else they're associated with.

Home Depot: "You can do it. We can help." That slogan reflects the position of being helpful. So Home Depot has weekend classes and demonstrations. They hire knowledgeable and personable trades people to answer questions, counsel customers and configure projects. They give us confidence that, with their help, we can do it.

One could define the differentiator as the "corporate culture" expressed through words, image and deed. It begins as the corporate vision and is then translated and transformed into the BRAND and the brand promise by keeping true to the position.

At every decision point, the first consideration should be, "How will this decision affect or reflect the brand?". This is true in every department and every function, from establishing employee benefits to setting delivery schedules.

Stay true to the brand, its position and promise.

Martin Jelsema
303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Branding strategy from a copywriter? You bet!

Significant branding value can be provided from an outstanding copywriter.

An experienced, big-picture copywriter (as opposed to a wordsmithing hack) may identify an undiscovered differentiator within the product, organization or business practice.  She'll ask the right questions. Provide insight and perspective. Have an empathy and understanding of your prospects and their "triggers". Then, he'll connect strategy with effective tactics.

Many of the best-known marketing/branding strategists, particularly those in the direct-response arena, are first and foremost copywriters: Jay Abraham, Don Kennedy, Ted Nichols, Jay Levinson, John Reese, Yanik Silver and several others.

If you discover a copywriter of this caliber, immediately place her/him on your strategic team.

He or she will be an idea source, a sounding board and a customer ombudsman.

And she'll also provide attention-getting and persuasive copy.

As a copywriter at heart, I may be biased, but I’m also very confident that this advice will pay off for you.

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

A while ago I received an e-newsletter from Mitch Meyerson, an associate and advocate of Jay Levinson of Guerrilla Marketing fame. Mitch and Jay produced together an analysis on the use of color as it relates to marketing. Though general in nature, I think its a valuable guideline to choosing a dominant color for your branding palette. Their thoughts are listed below.

Red evokes aggressiveness, passion, strength, vitality. In business, it is great for accents and boldness, stimulates appetites, is associated with debt.

Pink evokes femininity, innocence, softness, health. In business, be sure you're aware of its feminine implications and associations.

Orange evokes fun, cheeriness, warm exuberance. In business, it's great to highlight information in graphs and on charts evokes positively, sunshine and cowardice. In business, it appeals to intellectuals and is excellent for accenting things. Too much is unnerving.

Green evokes tranquility, health, freshness. In business, its deep tones convey status and wealth; its pale tones are soothing.

Blue evokes authority, dignity, security, faithfulness. In business, it implies fiscal responsibility and security. Plus it is universally popular.

Yellow is an optimistic color that almost always evokes a positive response. Yellow gets you motivated; it stimulates creative and intellectual energy; it's cheerful and easygoing.

Purple evokes sophistication, spirituality, costliness, royalty and mystery. In business, it's right for upscale and artistic audiences.

Brown evokes utility, earthiness, woodsiness and subtle richness. In business, it signifies less important items in documents.

White evokes purity, truthfulness, being contemporary and refined. In business, it enlivens dark colors and can be refreshing or sterile.

Gray evokes somberness, authority, practicality and a corporate mentality. In business, it is always right for conservative audiences.

Black evokes seriousness, distinctiveness, boldness and being classic. In business, it creates drama and is often a fine background color.

I’ll just add this: when you put colors in combination, guidelines can become unreliable in no time. There are several authors who have addressed emotions evoked by colors in combination, particularly two Japanese scholars, Ikuyshi Shibukawa and Yumi Takahashi, who have created a five-volume set of soft-cover, modestly priced books under the name, Designer’s Guide to Color. For branding, volumes 1, 2 and 3 are most helpful.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

I often hear dyed-in-the-wool direct response mavens decry the emphasis most marketers put on brand-building. They are all about the sale. Their only goal is to persuade and entice buyers to TAKE ACTION NOW.

These folks often don't bother with a logo, or even a company name. Instead, they rely on compelling, detailed and benefit-packed copy; together with testimonials, references and endorsements; coupled with powerful offers, discounts, bonuses and coupons.

Well, many of them are successfully making money with this strategy.

But I believe it to be short-sighted.

All direct marketers know that converting prospects into a customers is the life blood of the direct marketing business.

It's not the first sale that really matters - many willingly take a loss on the first sale just to acquire a new customer.

Most have figured out how much business an average customer will do with the firm over a number of years. It's probably an order of magnitude larger than the initial sale because these marketers continually ask their customer to buy more stuff. They send catalogs, sales letters, bargain flyers, e-mails. Continually. Religiously. Obsessively.

All this communication develops in the collective mind of customers a position about the company. Low cost, reliable, great guarantees, whatever.

In cases where companies aren't building brand and establishing a positive position consciously and consistently, their customers will do it for them.

My contention is that paying attention to your brand is important to direct marketing long-term success. Perhaps not as important as a powerful offer backed by a no-holds-barred guarantee in the short-run, but every bit as important over time.

Think of the direct marketing companies in which you have established a relationship. I'll bet nine out of ten will have established and promoted their brand along with their offers. I'll bet they are more successful in acquiring and maintaining loyal customers. I'll also bet their life-time value per customer is higher than their competitors who have disregarded branding.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Why is it companies, particularly smaller companies, continue to take the easy way out and name themselves with initials?

Now I know that most often those initials stand for something, usually three multi-syllable, Latin-ending, generic descriptors that vaguely describe the company's business category. Not only is the name a mouthful, it's not memorable. Even within the company, the formal name has no meaning. Besides, it's too long so they quickly establish the initials as the shorthand name. Then they begin to use it outside the company and just assume it communicates something to someone.

But unless those initials already stand for something  that's appropriate for the company (MVP, QED, ASAP), initials don't mean a thing to prospects and customers until they have a considerable history with the company. And then the initials have no actual meaning, just an identification - like a part number.

Initials have no personality They don't resonate. They don’t elicit emotion.They communicate no passion, history or expertise. They are just initials.

Go instead with a short, active one or two word name. Even if it's a coined word name, that's so much better than lifeless initials.

But if you insist on initials, I've compiled a short list of those that have meaning through usage as shorthand for longer phrases (like MVP, QED, etc.). If you'd like that list, just email me. Use at your own risk.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

If you use the name of the city in which you do business in your business name, are you differentiating the business?

Not likely.

Yet how many businesses are named after their location?  Just look in your city's telephone directory under your city's name. Out of all those businesses, what business stands out?

Not even one. Because they all begin with the city name, there's no differentiation.

The same problem exists when you name after a larger area in which the business is located (Twin-Cities, Ohio, Ozark, etc.)... or when you name after a local nick-name (Broncos, Queen City, Mile-High - all Denver references)...or when you adopt a local landmark familiar to all (Clear Creek, Pikes Peak, Platte).

However, if your business relies on walk-in traffic, and you plan on having only one location, naming it with a specific location or landmark may be helpful, both as a memorable name and as a location-finder. After all, how many "Pearl Street Deli"s or "Sloan's Lake Nurseriy"s can there be?

But as a rule of thumb, I'd suggest not naming your company with local geographic references. You'll just be joining a crowd.

Martin Jelsema

martin@signaturestrategies.com

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

How can a savvy, experienced marketer like Jake Jabs let it happen?

I'm talking about the latest round of TV commercials for American Furniture Warehouse.

In Colorado, American Furniture Warehouse dominates the retail furniture market. They've been in business for decades - at least three. They've developed a brand and a personality based on Jake's own stamp and image. The company and the man are inseparable. And it's been a textbook success story.

One of the main reasons (my opinion) for that success is consistency. The name (even if not particularly clever or leading edge) has become a household phrase. American Furniture Warehouse is top of mind along the Front Range.

So why in the world would Jake Jabs allow, and even be a spokeperson for, a bastardization of a perfectly good, perfectly imbedded name?

In his latest commercials -  for the first time - he and others are touting AFW instead of American Furniture Warehouse.

For SHAME. In my mind this is a blunder worse than KFC. Just ask ten people what AFW stands for and you'll get nine blank stares. Now maybe internally at American Furniture Warehouse people have taken the shortcut and use the initials. But Jake should not have allowed that laziness to creep into the marketing program. The company should never be referred to by employees as AFW in front of customers.

Now AFW (I can't even find the keys on my keyboard without thinking it through) has no meaning, no personality, no heritage, no relationship with past customers.

Jake, American Furniture Warehouse, as a name and as a brand was not broken. So why would you allow this tragedy to happen?

Martin Jelsema
Signature Strategies
303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Someone among my network decided I needed to know about "The Secret".

The Secret is to be unveiled in "A Worldwide Television Event" scheduled for sometime in 2006. When you go to their website http://www.whatisthesecret.tv/ you'll find an intriguing visual and a slick video to whet your interest.

The entire site is devoted to getting you to become an advocate and then spreading the word to your friends and associates.

If you do submit your e-mail address to them, you'll get some very mystical emails now and again. They'll promise if you share names and emails of your friends, you will receive great benefits and good fortune.

Now the message is pretty standard. We all get the emails from acquaintances promising good luck if we send on the message, and dire consequences if we break the chain.

But The Secret is different in significant ways: first, it's a commercial attempt to capitalize on viral marketing techniques, and second, from a branding standpoint it is brilliantly executed.

The graphics in both the emails and the website convey a mood of Masonic mysticism (Their video even speaks of The Church suppressing The Secret.).The logo incorporates a wax seal. The type font, though hard to read on a monitor, is appropriate for the message. The message itself is mysterious but compelling.

I'll be watching this campaign unfold. It may be the way of the future for media promotions, following in the footsteps of other viral marketing successes like "The Blain Witch Project", "The Passion of Christ" and "What the Bleep Do I Know".

Martin Jelsema
Signature Strategies
Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

I often hear dyed-in-the-wool direct response mavens decry the emphasis most marketers put on brand-building. They are all about the sale. Their only goal is to persuade and entice buyers to TAKE ACTION NOW.

These folks often don't bother with a logo, or even a company name. Their compelling, detailed and benefit-packed copy; together with testimonials, references and endorsements; coupled with powerful offers, discounts, bonuses and coupons, is all that concerns them.

Well, many of them are successfully making money with this strategy.

But I believe it to be short-sighted.

All direct marketers know that converting prospects into a customers is the life blood of the direct marketing business.

It's not the first sale that really matters - many willingly take a loss on the first sale. No, it's acquiring a customer that's most meaningful.

Most have figured out how much business an average customer will do with the firm over a number of years. It's probably an order of magnitude larger than the initial sale because these marketers continually ask their customer to buy more stuff. They send catalogs, sales letters, bargain flyers, e-mails. Continually. Religiously. Obsessively.

All this communication develops in the collective mind of customers a position about the company. Low cost, reliable, great guarantees, whatever.

In cases where companies aren't building brand and establishing a positive position consciously and consistently, their customers will do it for them.

My contention is that paying attention to your brand is important to direct marketing long-term success. Perhaps not as important as a powerful offer backed by a no-holds-barred guarantee in the short-run, but every bit as important over time.

Think of the direct marketing companies in which you have established a relationship. I'll bet nine out of ten will have established and promoted their brand along with their offers. I'll bet they are more successful in acquiring and maintaining loyal customers. I'll also bet their life-time value per customer is higher than their competitors who have disregarded branding.

That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

What is the key to the success of a professional dog walker?

It's keeping six or seven animals going in the same direction, at the same pace. It's getting them to act as one. Think of marketing, pr, sales channels, customer service, product development and other business elements as individual "animals" that need a steady hand from a determined "handler".

Let branding be the handler, the guiding force that keeps all the leashes straight. Then let the brand dictate pace, position and timing.

Once a differentiated branding stance has been established, the tactical elements - the implementation of the brand - can take on a unified and consistent identity that's positive, meaningful and not confusing. (Confused prospects don't buy. Neither do confused investors invest, nor do confused joint venturers partner up.)

When the brand dictates the direction and the pace, the entire aggregation moves effectively and efficiently. Marketing budgets are better spent. Sales activities are more focused. New product development efforts are better directed. PR is more targeted. Employees are better able to speak for the company. Customer service becomes more relevant to customers. Messages are more clear and consistent. Actions are more decisive and on-the-mark.

Let branding lead your pack.

Martin Jelsema
303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

If you've been in business for a while, that business has been "pigeon-holed" by the folks who know something about your company. 

They do it based on their observations and experiences, and they compare them with similar observations and experiences with your competitors. They judge you, rank you, classify you, accept or dismiss you on the basis of their perceptions.

This process is called "positioning". The idea of positioning, first espoused by All Ries and Jack Trout in the 1970's, is how people collectively determine the likelihood of doing business with you.

 Positioning is what people "do" to brands. That is they judge, rank and classify them. "Coke is number one", "Rolex is the highest quality watch you can buy", "Wal-Mart is the least expensive", "Volvo is the safest car".

For many brands with a history, the company has made a determined effort to position their business or product favorably and to establish the brand as a unique (differentiated) offering.

As Ries and Trout put it they, "establish a lasting relationship between a positive attribute and the brand in the collective minds of your target market members." That attribute is the differentiator: first, oldest, most innovative, safest, least expensive, sweetest, most versatile, most durable, etc.

Most companies position their offerings consciously and deliberately. As long as the offering delivers on the differentiating attribute, the attribute is important to the market, and the position is not already taken by a strong competitor, the offering can become positioned in the market's mind as the company planned and profits follow.

However, there are many examples of businesses attempting to position their offering without the credentials. The result is the market scoffing and positioning the product as being deceitful. I offer Qwest's "Spirit of Service" advertising campaign flying in the face of customer experience as a prime example.

Thus, prior to attempting to influence a market to accept the position you prefer them to have, make sure you can deliver better than your competitors can. And most importantly, deliver at least as good as your market’s expectations.

Martin Jelsema

303-242-5975

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Taglines, slogans, positioning statements, or whatever you want to call them, are usually five-to-eight-word phrases that are supposed to differentiate your business, product, service or event from your competition.

Y2 Marketing, a network of no-nonsense marketing consultants founded by Richard Harshaw and Edward Earle, have a great way to evaluate taglines.

After hearing or reading a tagline for the first time, if your reaction is "Well, I should hope so!", you're hearing or seeing a platitude, not an effective tagline.

I mentioned a moving company in a recent blog with whose tagline is "the caring moving company". Isn't your reaction to that line, "well, I should hope so!"? That's a platitude.

Effective taglines are difficult to craft. That's why so many turned out by wordsmiths sound good but mean nothing.

But taglines can be evocative, define a context, or express an idea if it's based on the central core of your organization. There's where you should start. Once you've captured the essence of your organization in a tagline, subject it to the "well, I should hope so" test.

If you discover your best efforts result in a platitude, I suggest you look to your business core. Perhaps it needs to be rethought and revamped to reflect a truly differentiated offering.

Martin Jelsema

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

Recently I was asked to admire a beautifully-designed, Photo-Shop-created, full color logo.

They wanted my honest opinion, so I let'em have it.

I offended the proud owner who had paid a lot of money to a well-respected design center.

Even though it passed all the designer-important standards (good use of contrasting colors, relevant imagery, proper proportions, a distinctive typeface), it was too limiting.

There was no way you could have used the logo in a black & white ad. If it were reproduced smaller than an inch wide, it was illegible. There were no allowances for reproduction as jewelry or ad specialty applications. It had been designed to look good on fine paper and on the website, and without regard for any other application.

Also it was pretty generic. Though the imagery was relevant, it was expected. After all, doesn't every logo for a dog kennel need to picture a dog? Or every bar a martini glass? I don't think so.

The logo icon should have some relevancy, but it needn't be a cliché.

The moral is to ask your designer to design a logo that can be used in a variety of applications, from one-column "help-wanted" newspaper ads to four-color 24-sheet posters. Also ask them to think alternative graphics to convey relevancy.

Martin Jelsema

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com

In past blogs, I’ve opined that a powerful brand requires a certain tension between novel and utilitarian.

This is really a concern when branding a new company, product or service. For the consumer to put a new product in context to their needs and desires, they must have some sort of understanding of the purpose of the brand - they must comprehend its utility.

In my own sphere, I'm still not clear just what Blackberry means to me. Nor do I know enough about Blue Tooth to know if it even applies to me. Until I've actually experienced the technology and gotten past the strangeness of it can I begin to appreciate its benefits to me.

So do I begin by branding uniquely and then through my marketing efforts build some familiarity, or do I attempt to brand  based on knowing my customer's collective mind-set well enough to make the new product familiar right from the beginning?

To me the challenge is to brand with a novel brand story, name, symbology and trade dress to convey benefit in a context in which customers can immediately identify.

Most technologically driven companies won't stand for that. They claim the product is so revolutionary that it's no longer relevant to "the old paradigm". So begins the long gestation period where market segments, usually one at a time, begin to "get it".

There's a bit of arrogance in this position. And an expensive approach to market penetration.

So I say, yes, make sure the branding elements are unique, but place them and your "brand story" in the familiar arena of your prospects' frame of reference.

Martin Jelsema
Signature Strategies
Helping smaller companies profit from the power of branding

Martin Jelsema

www.signaturestrategies.com