Brand Consulting Group

Our country has been in the throes of a hot financial mess for 18 months now. And the bankers and Wall Street mavens who caused it all are living under the same rule set they were when they made the risky decisions that led to our current troubles. So how do we expect a different outcome?

I see the same thing in organizations. A marketing director may come to the table expressing great enthusiasm for doing something really different in the marketplace to gain awareness and to drive the market and the brand forward. This is music to any brand consulting group's ears. Typically, creative teams thrive on this sort of directive and will deliver their very best work. Yet if the brand organization doesn't make any internal changes in how it approves or accepts creative work or marketing thinking, the same old comments get made and the work, in the end, can be more of what the market already has.

What's at risk if your brand communications are truly 'stand out' in your market? What's at risk if you create an internal process that allows for new ideas to be tried, even if only in some test markets? What's at risk if you don't?

I hope this doesn't make me sound like a curmudgeon. But sometimes I do feel like one. I love technology. It lets me get so much more work done, consider so many options, and communicate effortlessly with people around the country and the world. Today, I spent the day working on brand communications on my laptop –  from bed with a cold. Working in an ad agency or a  brand consulting group can be very time sensitive. So hooray! I can still be productive, even when I'm sick. And boo... I can still be productive when I'm sick.

My husband works every evening and weekend on his laptop. I can check my e-mail, voicemail and text messages from my iPhone...and so can he. All this constant communication can be a life saver. It can also cut into, well, life. This Thanksgiving weekend, I plan to cut off that constant communication and work for at least one day so that I can give thanks for all the other things I have in my life. So join me in taking a low tech holiday!

I'm going to tell you a dirty little secret. Creative people hang on to work that doesn't sell. They also hang on to work that doesn't make it to the presentation or ideas that led to the development of the final idea. OK, so far that doesn't sound very surprising, right? The surprising part is that sometimes, that work eventually gets presented as a solution for someone else's project. Is this bad? Not necessarily.

Sometimes, completely retrofitted creative is obvious because it hasn't been retasked properly. Rarely does a solution work just as well as is the second time around. But there might be a core idea that, with a few slight revisions or with some customization, works very well.

If you're a client and your brand consulting group or ad agency seems to do a lot of repurposing, you may have cause for concern. Every client deserves fresh thought; challenge the creative team if it seems as if the work isn't directed at your brand communication goals as directly as you would like. Ask to see their sketches; get involved in the tissue stage. And don't tell them you know about the secret.

With years of advertising copywriting experience, I've confronted a new reality. Search Engine Optimization writing for the Web. My background always taught me to use conversational language relating to the reader. I learned to stay away from 'business speak', jargon, and overly formal language.

Now, I'm learning the complex reality of writing for bots that search the Web for key words – all so that search engines can find my copy. In fact, right now, I'm writing copy that must include key words so that Web bots can find this blog entry. The problem is, most readable copy isn't sprinkled with business terms usually identified as key words. For this blog, I am supposed to insert key word phrases like marketing launch strategy or brand positioning strategy, for instance. In fact, as I typed in those words, the little Keyword Strength Monitor turned from red to green...to bright green! But I can't imagine casually sliding these phrases into copy you'd actually want to read.

My hope is that the next generation of Web bots has the intelligence to pick out word patterns in a more human way, arriving at concepts as a result of reading the copy as you or I would. I can write SEO copy because I have to do it. That doesn't mean I like inflicting it on anyone who has to read it! Oh, by the way, marketing integration, done by brand consulting groups causes return on marketing investment due to strategic marketing planning. Boy, is the Keyword Strength Monitor green now!

After decades working in Minneapolis, Detroit brand consulting groups–and now working in  an Indianapolis ad agency, I've seen a wide range of working styles. Here's a description of a work group I recently experienced. Do you recognize it? It's made up of cliques.

One clique is The A Team. They lead and do most of the work. Another clique is The B Team. They are jealous of The A Team and talk about them when they're not around. They also counter The A Team's arguments in group discussions. Yet another clique is The Hiders. They don't engage in discussion and don't step up to do work.

What caused this? Undefined roles within the team. The A Team assumed leadership without discussion. The B Team was angry about that. The Hiders were afraid of the conflict going on in the team.

The solution? The entire team met to clear up the assumptions and bad feelings in the team. Then they decided to redistribute leadership based on individual expertise. They established ground rules of operations too. These included the need for every person on the team to take a leadership role of some kind and to take on personal responsibility for doing their fair share of the work. Consequences for non-compliance were also established.

Today, the team is operating at top levels. The members trust each other. They feel like they are part of a united team that supports each other and is honest with each other. Can you say that for your team?

As well as working in an Indianapolis brand consulting group, I also teach visual communication design at a local art and design school. In a recent meeting with our outreach team, I realized that they have NO easy way to describe our program.

We no longer teach only traditional graphic design because of the devaluation of these skills due to the proliferation of desktop design tools. What we do teach is a bit more complex and unexpected. We teach young designers to think strategically, to work in collaborative situations and to lead the creative problem solving process.

Our own 'salespeople' didn't know this or have a simple way to say it. So that last paragraph was the missing link in their sales process. And it's worth more than any brochure, Web site or video. Before you spend your hard earned budget on any of these things, develop a simple, easy-to-understand (and remember) brand message. Tell your entire team about it. It's so simple yet so important to insuring a real return on your marketing investment.

We use Compendium for our blogging partner. Of course, the purpose of (most) blogs is to let people know a little bit about the "real" you, whether an individual or company. In many instances, the way bloggers are found is through online search for a particular subject or item. For instance, maybe you're a fan of the "Arizona Cardinals" (hey, why not?) or "Native Americans living in Cleveland", or "talentless unemployed actors" (to save time, one could also type in "Carrot Top").

On to my point: when writing in Compendium, they provide targeted keywords, which help the bloggers (moi) keep on track. The more keywords used, the stronger the post. In true 21st century coolness, there's even a keyword strength indicator, where red means "Steve, stop writing about the Arizona Cardinals" and green indicates "you're the best blogger, ever."

Today, I'm going for the green. This will be the strongest, keyword-heaviest, blog post. Ever... So, if you were looking for any (or all) of the following, sit back and enjoy (alpha order for your viewing pleasure):

Best Marketing Plans, Brand Chemistry, Brand Communication, Brand Consulting Companies, Brand Consulting Group, Brand Development Services, Brand Development Strategies, Brand Identity Development, Brand Marketing Consultants, Brand Positioning Strategy, Brand Strategy Agency, Brand Strategy Company, Brand Strategy Consultants, Brand Strategy Firm, Branding Consultancy, Business Communications Indianapolis, Business Logo Creation, Certified Brand Strategist, Corporate Brand Strategy, Creative Brand Development, Develop Brand Identity, Developing Brand Strategy, Indianapolis Ad Agency, Indianapolis Advertising Marketing, Indianapolis Brand Consultants, Indianapolis Brand Development, Indianapolis Brand Management, Indianapolis Brand Marketing, Indianapolis Business Marketing, Indianapolis Corporate Branding, Indianapolis Marketing Agency, Indianapolis Marketing Communications, Indianapolis Marketing Consultants, Indianapolis Marketing Firms, Indianapolis Marketing Plans, Indianapolis Marketing Strategy, Indianapolis Marketing Tools, Indianapolis Strategic Marketing, Logo Creation Services, Marketing Brand Development, Marketing Integration, Marketing Launch Strategy, Midwest Marketing Partner, Online Brand Strategy, Return on Marketing Investment, Strategic Brand Consulting, Strategic Brand Development, Strategic Marketing Planning, Successful Marketing Plans

There. I've officially made Code Green with the strongest blog post, ever! Call Element Three today if any of that interests you. Or, if you'd rather talk NFL football (especially the Arizona Cardinals) or wish to debate who the best hair metal bands from the eighties are, I'm ready.

It's easiest for us to think about brand touchpoints like logos, stationery, advertising, brochures and Web sites. These are the controllable things. Many organizations do a great job developing brand identity. And their brand consulting groups typically advise them (as we do) to create a set of foundational rules for the use of these tools so that they are used consistently.

Yet the most influential and memorable brand touchpoints of all is your people.

A recent airport experience highlighted this for me. I arrived at the gate of a well known airline that touts its friendliness and warmth. My colleague and I came up to the gate agent with our boarding passes. She said, "What do you want?", in a less than warm and friendly way. Taken aback, we said we wanted to check into the flight. She said, "Sit down. I'm not ready for you yet." in a brusque voice, thus undoing all the brand's communications to date.

In summary, make sure you train your people in the way you want your brand to be delivered so that what you SAY aligns with what you DO.

For a recent brand positioning project, the Element Three team was asked to clariify the structure of the brand. If you haven't heard of brand structure, it is not the same as your org chart. Brand structure determines how your brand faces the outside world. Do you lead with your overall brand name or with your products? Do you divide you messages by product line or by work process? Typically, these decisions are based on the place from which your brand derives its equity.

For instance, General Motors, leads with Chevrolet, Cadillac and its other product lines. The GM brand backs up the product lines but the product lines themselves drive equity to GM. GM adds a level of comfort to those product lines. So too is Proctor & Gamble a product-driven brand structure. These mega corporations can afford to market multiple brands unlike most organizations. Each brand you send to market represents a substantial investment in marketing costs to create awareness, credibility and intent to purchase.

Our brand consulting group can work with your organization to help you understand your brand's structure before you launch into marketing strategy, brand identity development or other strategic marketing investments. This assures that you are spending your marketing dollars in the right way by facing the market most advantageously.

As part of an Indianapolis marketing, design and brand consulting group and as a teacher at Herron School of Art and Design, I hear common themes about where design is going. Many designers have come to be known for technical skills (lovingly referred to in the industry as Mac Jockeys). Because graphics software is available to everyone, the ability to manipulate pixels alone is not enough any more. The design profession, if it is going to survive, must also add business value, something we regard highly at Element Three.

Here are just a few ways our design thinkers can add value to your business, your brand, your marketing, your brand communications:

Our Brand Chemistry Process:


Element Three Brainstorm Facilitation: using a seasoned facilitator from outside brings fresh perspective, the ability to keep the group on track and a wealth of innovative ideas to infect your operations, your marketing, your sales or your process or product development

GROWTH.

Do you have problems related to Growth that sound something like this?

• My sales reps are reactive to incoming leads and spend very little time proactively seeking new customer relationships. In fact, sometimes I feel like they are more customer service reps than sales reps. 
• My company does not clearly add value, but my sales reps do. I am concerned that my sales rep's relationship/ reputation/ value trumps my organization. What if my reps leave, will they take all of my customers with them?

While I am not close enough to your organization to be able to give you the perfect solution to your specific issue related to growth, allow me to offer a few items of food for thought for the two issues outlined above.

If your sales reps are reactive, has it been clearly defined what target market they are to be pursuing? And, have customer types been established from your ideal client profile? Lastly, have you created an integrated marketing plan that supports their sales efforts and provides marketing integration?

In situations where the company brand is not superior to the employee brand, consider engaging a brand consulting group to assist with determining the organization's Unique Value it provides. You must determine a brand positioning strategy the elevates the organization above any individual contributor. Ensure you have processes and systems that creates an environment where your employees can be more successful with you than on their own.

As brand communicators, it's easy to send messages out. The bigger challenge is to get messages – or content – to come in from customers. Here are a few examples of online brand communications that engage and invite customers to get involved.

Polyvore In this site, consumers create collages of their favorite fashion items. Each item is clickable and can be purchased.

Nike ID At this web site, consumers create their own shoe design based on a wide array of styles, colors and patterns. Shoes can be saved, rated and purchased online.

Threadless A thriving online community that revolves around designing tee-shirts, Threadless engages its users both in the designing of the products and in the community itself.

Volkswagen Technology An experiential movie involves viewers in VW's new auto technologies.

Are you ready for a 2-way relationship? Our Indianapolis-based brand consulting group has experience in brand development, marketing strategy and creative execution that will set your brand up for total consumer engagement.

At Element Three, as part of our Brand Chemistry discovery process, we not only find out what your brand IS, we find out what your brand ISN'T.

This may seem odd at first – or at least not what you're used to getting from your brand consulting group. Yet if you don't know what's counter to your brand, you may stumble into territory that actually hurts it in the minds of your customers. It's helpful for your internal team to have a deep understanding of both the AREs and the AREN'Ts so they are sure to deliver your service, product and communications in keeping with your organization's unique point of difference...at every touch customer touch point.

My friend Tom Monahan, founder and creativity coach of Before & After, and a leader in the field of applied creativity, asserts that, to be more creative, we must ask better questions. Edward deBono, an authority in the field of creative thinking and author of 67 books on the topic, says we need to think laterally, traversing old brain patterns. I think they're both saying the same thing.

In our work as a brand consulting group, we get involved in brand positioning, marketing strategy and creative execution. Yet innovative thinking and creativity get involved at each step. By asking better questions, (how do your customers feel about your brand? what would they never tell you out loud that you must hear?) (what would happen if your marketing efforts didn't exist?) (what do you want to have as an outcome and how shall we track that?) we often get to innovative solutions for our clients. The old patterns in brand communications and marketing thinking will get you to the same end point as before.

When you work with Element Three, we'll present you with some new tools: for instance, Brand Chemistry, our immersive inside/out, outside/in brand discovery process. Or our thorough and creatively articulated marketing plan that helps you and your team adopt its strategies. These are our ways of breaking past patterns so that your brand can enjoy a different level of success than in the past.

I'd like to put a deeply held belief to rest, once and for all. In the world of business to business marketing, decisions are made rationally AND emotionally. Just as in business to consumer marketing.

I know, I know. It seems like the discussion is all rational at the conference room table or in the sales meeting. But how do you make a decision about a potential strategic business partner or professional services firm? Aren't their work samples and capabilities lists really the cost of entry? Aren't you checking out the people at the table just as much as you are their proof points? Don't you know within the first 10 minutes whether or not it's a fit?

Here's a secret that your brand communications or marketing firm may not have told you: our emotional brain centers make decisions 170,000 times faster than our rational brain centers.

Brain scans have shown that we have instant 'gut' reactions to brand stimulus and choices, whether in the cereal aisle or the board room. This happens so fast that we often don't even realize it. We 'feel good' about working with one person and 'something doesn't feel right' about working with another. Yet in business, it's unacceptable to use those things as the sole reason for choosing one company over another. So we rationalize our decisions with, well, rational reasons. "They've got experience in the field", or " They have 10 offices nationwide". Sure, these things may be important, most business to business buying choices are made with the emotional brain, backed up the rational brain.

At Element Three, we call the basis of this process of selection Brand Chemistry. As a brand consulting group, we study its ramifications both 'outside in' (how your customers feel and think about your brand) and 'inside out' (how you feel and think about your brand) to truly understand the deep linkages between a brand and its customers.

How can you create good Brand Chemistry?

• Be clear internally about your brand, it's meanings and unique point of difference.
• Create an engaging experience of your brand by being true to your own essence and by being yourself. Most clients will respond positively because they sense your honesty.
• Live your brand at every customer touch point. Don't say your brand is customer centric and then understaff your service lines, for instance.
• Customers like to feel that you are interested in them as human beings, not just as prospects. Give them all the rational reasons to buy. But first, they have to like you and feel good about you so give them reasons to want to spend time with you, too.
• Watch for positive cues like eye contact, smiling, nodding, engaging conversation; also watch for negative cues like crossed arms, a lack of engagement in the conversation or a meeting cut short. Repurchase or re-engagement are excellent signs that you have created strong Brand Chemistry.
• If you sense that there may be a negative gut reaction, ask about it respectfully. It's better to clear the air or at least name the elephant in the room than to not ever address it and have the relationship whither or never even start up.
• Ask for feedback that goes beyond the rational so that you can learn if your Brand Chemistry is strong or weak. An example would be, "Does our team seem like a comfortable fit with yours?" or "Tell us how you feel about working with us." Then be open to hearing whatever comes and consider it as you move forward.

Never forget: the same people who shop for peanut butter (and like Skippy rather than Jif because they remember their grandma making them gooey sandwiches with it, not because it has 12% more peanuts) are choosing your brand – or not choosing it. What's the point of all of this? People don't instantly change between home and the office. Their bodies are still wired the same way: they make split second decisions in B to B decisions whether they realize it or not. (If you want to know more about this, read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell).