Over the last few weeks, we seem to have come across an increasing number of companies whose name really doesn’t tell us anything about their business activity. Whilst not a crime, it could present a problem when that business is trying to get their message heard. What amazes us more however, is the number of companies that don’t have a strapline either.
Today, we all search online to look for new suppliers at some time or another. So it goes without saying that our corporate profiles are very important. We need to tempt a prospect, particularly if they are online, to click through to our websites or call us for more information. When presented with the choice of let’s say 10 potential unknown companies, I know I would look at the company whose name and strapline told me exactly what they do.
We all have competitors and need to stand out from the crowd, so the use of a few little words after your company name can make all the difference.
For example, at Business Vitamins, we use "Energise your business through marketing". Perhaps just a touch more well-known examples would be:
- Carlsbergs "Probably…"
- HSBC’s "The Worlds Local Bank"
- Orange's "The Futures Bright"
- Hondas “The Power of Dreams"
- UK National Lottery "It could be you"
- ..and of course Nikes’ uber memorable "Just Do it!"
Having a strapline has many uses. You can also register your strapline as a URL and use it as a tracking device for specific marketing campaigns but that’s a whole other blog post!
Most importantly, your strapline is the key to your branding. It underlines your brand promise which if managed correctly, can improve customer loyalty. Your brand has the power to differentiate your products and services from your competitors - even when those products and services are exactly the same. Audi A3 or VW Golf anyone?
Research has shown 70% of customers are willing to pay a premium for their brand of choice, a strong brand is your most valuable asset.
So why wouldn’t you take some time out to come up with a great little line that could win you new business?
Do you need to outsmart your competitors? Contact us now on 0845 310 2457 to discuss what you want to achieve and how we can help you meet your goals.
Why not find out more about Business Vitamins, Strategic B2B marketing agency Suffolk.
Or follow BizVits on Twitter?
Or Like us on Facebook?
Or +1 us on Google+?
Or see the Business Vitamins channel on YouTube?
The faintest sniff of global economic recovery is being smelt right now in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. For it is here that one young couple we know are feeling enough house-market positivity to embark on the arduous process of moving home.
Considering a more rural location, perhaps they’ve reached a certain age where town living isn’t as appealing as it was once-upon-a-curry-night ago. Typically, the impetus for change is being driven by the lady of the house. This hard shove is being felt by none more so than the ‘paterfamilias’, having spent the last few weeks tool-box in hand. All recent spare time has been spent cleaning, tidying, painting, de-cluttering and fixing. No mean feat with a young daughter running them both ragged!
It’s all been worth it though. What was already an extremely attractive property in a great location now has even more curbside appeal. Once inside, it even appears more spacious. Everything is shiny and new for all those prospective buyers to admire. A speedy sale is assured.
Like selling a house, appearance is everything in business. Yet everyday I see small elements that severely tarnish business image. One reason for this is that we’re often told to “focus on the bigger picture”; repainting the door won’t bring us new customers!
Well, yes and no. How do you react to dead links on a website? Do you say hey-ho and continue to browse the site? I expect you return to Google and search elsewhere. It’s not just dead links, typos on or offline, out of date news or poor quality stationery. A recent annoyance is “Twitter Spam” – unsolicited followers offering links to porn, dubious tablets and get rich quick schemes. Hardly the sort of association most businesses would welcome yet they can be blocked so easily.
This is all down to ensuring all customer touch points are inspected and polished regularly. Every one of them speaks volumes about your business and the emphasis you place on attention to detail. Every sub-optimal feature conspires to create an impression. Not a good one either. Few of us would go on a first-date wearing odd socks (no matter how trendy it was) or show buyers around your property without sweeping the floors first so why not apply the same care to a business? Chances are, your customers will reward you.
Do you need to outsmart your competitors? Contact us now on 0845 310 2457 to discuss what you want to achieve and how we can help you meet your goals.
Why not find out more about Business Vitamins, Strategic B2B marketing agency Suffolk.
Or follow BizVits on Twitter?
Or Like us on Facebook?
Or +1 us on Google+?
Or see the Business Vitamins channel on YouTube?
Happy Birthday to Terry Wogan KBE, 71 years old today!
Revered as a British national treasure despite being Irish, Terry is one of our best loved and most loathed celebrities.
Rising to fame in the 1960s on Irish radio and subsequently Radio One, he moved to the smooth sounds of Radio Two in the early 1970s. He even released a single of his own and annoyingly, one of my earliest memories is of bopping around to Terry’s smash hit “The Floral Dance”. Thankfully Terry’s career in music-making was short-lived and he went on to become the face of his own TV chat show, Children In Need and of course your friend and mine, The Eurovision Song Contest.
Clearly, his long career in Radio and TV has made him extremely well known. And being so recognisable, both audibly and visually, it’s arguable he’s almost succeeded in becoming a brand in his own right.
But can a person be a brand? Or just a celebrity? Part of a brand’s image is its persona as embodied in human form, via likes, dislikes, gender, wealth, age, mood, status and more.
If we’re debating whether Mr Wogan has therefore become a brand, what does his brand represent? He’s Irish, obviously, and probably bald, but ‘Hello Magazine’ has yet to publish the photographs. He’s certainly an irreverent comedian, sarcastic too. He’s managed to position himself as a kindly uncle who’s fun and interesting to listen to (apparently) and yet also appeals to the grumpy-old-man, chiming with the Victor Meldrew streak alive in many of us. But I’m not convinced he’s a brand, to me he’s just a minor celebrity.
At the other end of the scale we have the Beckhams. They ooze glamour, style, wealth, vitality and sex. Cleverly, they entice us with their wholesome family image as well. You can buy Beckham branded products as their scent and clothes ranges have been launched around the world. For many, this allows us the opportunity to be them for just a moment… Back to my question, can people be brands? Surely if anyone can, the Beckhams are a good example?
As consumers, we have relationships with brands everyday via the products and services we choose. The strongest brands pop into our minds through association. For example, the mention of ‘family entertainment’ conjures up Disney for most of us. But a brand can also be a symbol like the Nike swoosh or the shape of the Coca-Cola bottle.
So can anyone actually be their own brand as opposed to being the face of a brand?
I guess that’s open for discussion.Do you need to outsmart your competitors? Contact us now on 0845 310 2457 to discuss what you want to achieve and how we can help you meet your goals.
Why not find out more about Business Vitamins, Strategic B2B marketing agency Suffolk.
Or follow BizVits on Twitter? Or Like us on Facebook?Or +1 us on Google+?Or see the Business Vitamins channel on YouTube?
Today, we all search online to look for new suppliers at some time or another. So it goes without saying that our corporate profiles are very important. We need to tempt a prospect, particularly if they are online, to click through to our websites or call us for more information. When presented with the choice of let’s say 10 potential unknown companies, I know I would look at the company whose name and strapline told me exactly what they do.
