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BEYOND EBOOKS - 10 Powerful Alternative Infoproduct Formats Part 1 of 2
here are literally hundreds of new information-based eBooks being released every day. Is the market saturated? Do you stand a chance? How do you make your product stand out from the crowd? No doubt, there is still very good money to be made with...
Is Network Marketing Easy??
I personally believe we do a dis-service to the industry and ourselves if we openly state...or even allude...that NWM is easy. It's not. Nor is any business....WAH or brick & mortar. Anyone who does say different is not being wholly truthful. I...
Rating the eBook Compilers
Now that you've finished writing your eBook and have a basic understanding of what an eBook compiler does, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the number of compilers on the market. To help you make your decision, I have tested and reviewed the...
Storytelling For High Concept And High Touch
After hearing Daniel Pink speak about his new book A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age for the fourth time, I finally read it cover to cover (less than a day). I finally got what he's talking about when he says...
the 4C's of Branding
The 4 C’s of Personal Branding By Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. Branding could be defined as a guiding philosophy for building business. The benefits of building a strong brand are tremendous. With a strong name brand, you have instant name...
 
Branding Fiasco -- Better Be Who You Say You Are!

Our experience as customers offers great instruction into the concept of branding. Come with me on a recent "experience" and you'll see what I mean. Here's the situation:

I want to order an 800 number. On my AT&T bill is a customer services number. I call it. A voice mail gives four options. None of which I want. Just TRY to get a representative. I am instructed to dial another number. I am given three options. Hit 0 for operator and the disembodied voice says I have called after hours. The hours are 7am - 10-pm Monday- Fri. Eastern Standard Time.

Fine. It is now 4am Monday in California. They should be open. By 4:30am in CA I have called repeatedly and punched in all the prompts until I am ready to punch someone. I am still told by a disembodied voice that the offices are closed. I try another number. This time, I reach a computer voice.

Computer:"I'll try and help you. Tell me in your own words what you want."

Me:"Toll free service."

Computer:"I'm sorry. I did not understand. Let me tell you what services we offer..."

Me:"I want a person"

Computer:"Tell me, in your own words, what you want."

Me:"Toll free service!"

Computer:"I am sorry. I do not understand what you want."

Me:(screaming) "I want a person."

Computer:"I am sorry. I..."

SLAM!!!!

I call 00 in frustration. "Operator!!"

Operator: "How can I help?"

Me:"I have been trying without luck to get someone in customer service. I have been caught in a voice mail hell with an atavistic voice. How do I talk to a person?"

Operator:"I am sorry you are having problems. You can talk to a supervisor."

Supervisor:"Can I help you?"

Me:(heatedly) "I want to ask about a toll free number. I have dialed three numbers and cannot get in. It says the offices open at 7am and now it's almost 8am EST!"

Supervisor:"Oh, sometimes they forget to turn off that message so the phones can ring through. We have to call and tell them."

Me:(incredulously) "You mean the PHONE company has employees who do NOT know their first order of business is to turn on phones to answer customers!"

Supervisor:(calmly) "I am sorry. Let me give you a different number than the one you have been


calling. You need to call the office for AT&T 1-800 Easy Reach.

"Easy Reach?!??!?" Who are they trying to kid! I call this "Impossible to Reach".

Branding Lesson #1: Your name sets up an expectation. Live up to it or suffer.
There is a promise established in what we advertise and name things. Southwest Airlines had thought to create a baggage claim delivery time slogan. Then they realized that due to the configuration in a few of their terminals, to quote such a time was almost impossible. They dropped the campaign even though it would have been true in MOST of their sites.

Branding Lesson #2: Your business sets up an expectation. If you don't deliver for yourself - how can you deliver for the customer?
A phone company that doesn't answer the phones is a scary thought. We'd expect it of any other business, but the phone company!! If you own a paint store and your store is in sorry need of paint, what does that say? If the waiters in a restaurant cannot tell you about food on the menu because they never get to eat it, what does that say? Look at your business with critical eyes. Would you do business with you?

Branding Lesson #3: The past never counts. The present creates the brand.
It is the actual in-the-moment experience that creates a brand in a customer's eyes. Brand is a living entity that is re-earned, renewed, or revoked with every interaction. Advertising only creates awareness. I am convinced the very best, most unique, most competitive maker of a "brand" is the well-trained, empowered employee who can disregard systems and procedures in order to continue a human interaction. As more organizations substitute technology for people, the company that answers its own phone and get humans connected in short order will win the day.

(c) 2003, McDargh Communications. All rights reserved.

Reprints are appreciated and must include byline, contact information and copyright.


About the Author

Eileen McDargh is founder of McDargh Communications, a consulting and training company specializing in inner and interpersonal skill development for the purpose of improving the life of a business and the business of life. Visit Eileen at http://www.EileenMcDargh.com or www.theresilientspirit.com.

 

Brand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The brand, and "branding" and brand equity have become increasingly important ... From the perspective of brand owners, branded products or services also ...
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Livestock branding, the marking of animals to indicate ownership; Human branding, ... Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branding" ...
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AllAboutBranding.com : Home
Provides resources and opinions on branding. Includes brand development, management and communications.
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brandchannel.com | branding resource produced by Interbrand | brands
An international online exchange and resource about brand marketing and branding.
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Branding Company Corporate Branding Internet Brand Identity ...
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Branding and positioning news and opinion.
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Branding Asia
Free articles, news and columns on branding in Asia. Market research and Asian marketing.
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Pages tagged with "branding" on del.icio.us
All items tagged branding ??? view popular ... industrie./design and branding consultant specialists./ · save this. by kittim to design branding graphic ...
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The Brand Called You
Big companies understand the importance of brands. Today, in the Age of the Individual, you have to be your own brand. Here's what it takes to be the CEO of ...
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Branding: See what people are saying right now on Technorati
See all blog posts tagged with branding on Technorati.
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Mozilla Branding
The purpose of this document is to describe mozilla.org's branding strategy during and after the release of what has generally been called Mozilla 1.4. ...
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What Brand Are You? A branding viral by The Design Conspiracy
What Brand Are You? has since been picked out as Site Of The Day by the likes of the Financial Times, Yahoo, USA Today and BBC News, and has received more ...
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Branding - Yahoo! Small Business
Find information to help grow your online business with business plans, Thomas Register, news articles and more.
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Lexicon
Lexicon Branding appears on KTVU News; Lexicon Branding creates Ridgeline for Honda, Viiv for Intel, and GameTap for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. ...
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Branding and Usability
We're finding that a site's usability can dramatically affect branding. ... There are two basic techniques for branding: direct experience and indirect ...
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iMedia Connection: Research & Metrics - Branding
Majority of marketers feel branding opportunities -- online and offline -- aren't ... IAB case studies prove real-world power of online in branding mix. ...
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Small Business Marketing And Branding
Small business marketing and branding advice and how-to guides for small business owners. Learn how to start and grow your own successful business.
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Beyond Branding
Beyond Branding, published in hardcover in 2003 and paperback in 2005, presents innovative business models for the survival of 21st century organizations.
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