In the first blog post in this series, I discussed the difference between “marketing” and “branding.”
There is a pivotal point in the business process where marketing becomes branding—and that’s when you make your first contact with a prospective customer or client. Up until that point, all you’ve really been doing is marketing yourself and/or your firm, with a little “pre-branding” thrown in.
The reason it’s “pre-branding” is because the prospect is forming an opinion of you based upon your method of marketing. What customers think of you based on your marketing materials is just one part of the branding process.
Think of it this way. We are bombarded by commercials and advertisements on a nearly non-stop basis. They’re seemingly everywhere, touting every type of product known to man (and woman), and they all claim to do this or that.
But do you make any concrete, definite decision about a product or service just because of the information contained in that commercial? Of course not. Decisions like that aren’t made simply through a dispensation of information, especially when it’s subjective in nature. (In fact, some people are pre-disposed to not believe the information for that very reason.)
So when have you made a definite decision about a product or service? After you’ve used it, or put another way, after you’ve experienced it. This is why first impressions are so important, because from the very first encounter, people are forming opinions and judgments about you and your services, whether you—or they—realize it or not.
Bounty Paper Towels has branded itself as “The Quicker Picker-Upper.” Sounds great, but did anybody really believe that the first time they heard it? No. But once they used the paper towel, their experience showed them that was the case.
The paper towel absorbed liquids more quickly than other name brands. Therefore, the information they received about the product was validated by their experience using it. True branding was taking place.
Saying, “Our search firm specializes in providing targeted hiring solutions for high-tech companies in the Automation industry” is both marketing and “pre-branding.” Actually providing targeted hiring solutions, as well as an outstanding experience for those high-tech companies in the process, is TRUE branding . . . and you achieve it through the validation of experience.
In my next blog post, I’ll explore the perils and pitfalls of branding yourself and your firm in a negative fashion. Because it is possible and it does happen, even if you’re not trying to do it.
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