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Speaking with a Consistent Brand Voice Deb McDermott VP Marketing. The Importance of a Unified Brand Message. A brand is more than just an icon or logo, and more than just a product Definition from BrandChannel:
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Speaking with a Consistent Brand Voice Deb McDermott VP Marketing
The Importance of a Unified Brand Message • A brand is more than just an icon or logo, and more than just a product • Definition from BrandChannel: • “A brand is a mixture of attributes, tangible and intangible, symbolized in a trademark, which, if managed properly, creates value and influence. ‘Value’ has different interpretations: from a marketing or consumer perspective it is ‘the promise and delivery of an experience’; from a business perspective it is ‘the security of future earnings’; from a legal perspective it is ‘a separable piece of intellectual property.’ Brands offer customers a means to choose and enable recognition within cluttered markets.”
The Importance of a Unified Brand Message • Definition from the American Marketing Association: • “A Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan. For example, Coca Cola is the name of a brand made by a particular company.”
Why is a Brand So Important? • A strong brand is the most important resource a company has; it is extremely important in any business environment. • “Simply put, a brand is a promise…it delivers a pledge of satisfaction and quality.” -- Walter Landor, famous industrial designer • “A brand is a reason to choose.” --Fred Burt, Siegel+Gale
Why is a Brand So Important? • A strong brand not only helps customers identify with your product, values and benefits, it can even help create “category” ownership. For example: • Volvo = Safety • Ritz Carlton = Luxury • Nike = Sports • McDonalds = Fast Food • Starbucks = Coffee • Apple = Innovation • American Seating = Durability
Why is a Brand So Important? • Strong brands provide a number of valuable functions, including: • Greater loyalty • Less vulnerability to competitive marketing actions and crises • Larger margins • Greater cooperation and support • Increased marketing communication effectiveness • Possible licensing opportunities • Additional brand extension opportunities
The Power of a Strong Brand • Coca-Cola revenue in 2010 was $35.1 billion • Brand value was estimated at $70.4 billion • Measurement: financial strength, importance in driving customer selection, likelihood of ongoing branded revenue, likeliness of future earnings. Source: Interbrand
The American Seating Brand • Experienced • Preferred • Consistent • High ROI • A Solutions Provider • An Expert Resource
Your Role in Enhancing the American Seating Brand • Since a brand is “the promise of an experience,” each of you play a role in shaping and reinforcing the American Seating brand. • How you talk about American Seating and our products must be aligned with how we promote the company • In a competitive and cluttered marketplace, we must be aligned and speak with one voice • When not aligned, we lose opportunities, create confusion among current and potential customers and our brand is weakened • Creating a strong brand name is a journey, requiring consistency and everyone’s active participation – YOU are important in helping create a powerful brand image.
The Elevator Speech - IS • A succinct verbal overview of a brand • Designed to pique the interest of a potential customer • Should engage the listener to prompt questions which should lead to a consultative selling opportunity • Embodies speaking with one voice
The Elevator Speech – IS NOT • A sales pitch • A regurgitation of facts (leave them wanting more) • Heavy on product features and functions • Advertising • Full of acronyms, jargon or technical terms
Key Elements of The Elevator Speech • Flexible • Compelling • Short (60 seconds) • Limited to 3 points • Credible & Supportable • Conversational • Tailored • Perfected • Aligned
The American Seating • Elevator Speech Example • Experience • Value • Peace of Mind
Initial Prospecting Appointments • Introduce American Seating • 30-60 Second Elevator Speech • - Name - • - What Company Does - • How American Seating Can Be A Resource – • Group Exercise
The American Seating Brand • Includes: • Graphics, Graphic Standards • Consistent Language
Speaking with a Consistent Brand Voice