Changing Your Brand with the Times: Ask Jeeves Says to Butler, “You're Fired”
As
a result of a corporate takeover, the genteel and chubby butler that
has been the face, image and brand of search engine giant Ask Jeeves,
has been ousted.
In
a move to upgrade its search engine and become more competitive with
Google and Yahoo, company research indicated that users associated the
butler with earlier versions of the Ask Jeeves search engine
technology, which was strictly designed to field inquiries in the form
of direct questions.
“This
research shows that continued use of the character as the prominent
symbol of the brand may inhibit people from recognizing that our search
engine has changed,” the company said in a statement.
What Will They Think of Next: A Donald Trump Ring Tone
With
the demand for new ring tones booming and generating huge revenues for
record companies, celebrities are now getting into the financial
action. The Donald Trump ring tone will be introduced next month, with
The Donald announcing, “Why not answer the phone, you could be missing
out on some really big business.”
Trump
is not the only celebrity to offer sayings. Pop star Christina Aguilera
is among several artists who are also offering spoken ring tones.
Big Man on Campus: Aflac Duck tops Ronald McDonald and the Energizer Bunny
The Aflac Duck was enshrined on Madison Avenue’s Walk of Fame in New York, as
one of America’s favorite advertising icons.
Even
though it made its national debut less than five years ago, the Aflac
Duck beat several veteran competitors, including Ronald McDonald and
the Energizer Bunny for a spot on the Walk of Fame.
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Three Steps to Building a Professional Services Brand
By Christine M. Hollinden
Ask
Jeeves is taking the right approach in dealing with their brand image.
They are trying to be competitive with the search engine leaders and
have acted responsibly and quickly in understanding what their
customers are saying, which is, “We think you look old,” thus we aren’t
going to use you.
It
takes courage to make changes, and even more courage to ask your
clients and prospects what they think of you. In the world of
marketing, a company’s brand is often under served. Companies often
focus attention on specific marketing tactics like logos, press
releases, or networking — completely ignoring their overall brand.
Professional service firms are no different. A comprehensive branding
effort can, in fact, help professional service firms capture more
profitable market share than any single marketing effort ever will.
What is a Brand?
There’s
often confusion when it comes to defining a brand. A brand is most
often defined as a firm’s logo. By definition, a brand is an outside
perception of a firm, service or experience. That perception is formed
by any and all communication elements (touch points), whether they are
passive or active experiences. In other words, every interaction –
brochures, staff, logos, advertisements, letters, office environment,
business processes – is an opportunity to shape a brand.
The
important point to remember is that perception is reality. A brand is
what a firm stands for in the minds of its clients and prospects. It is
not what is printed in a brochure nor is it what is said by the
marketing team. A brand is what the public says it is, whether they are
clients or not. Yet, it is this perception that determines whether or
not they ever will become (or stay) clients.
How do you build your professional service firm’s brand?
1)
Identify the Firm’s Personality.
Just like people, professional services (all companies, in fact) have a
personality that is unique. That personality, developed over time, is
based on a variety of factors including leadership style, processes,
formality, specialization, and geography. Develop a list of key words
or phrases that describe how the leadership team wants the firm to be
perceived. In other words, if we were to survey clients and prospects,
what words or phrases do you want them to use to describe the firm?
Now, ask the principals, staff, and key clients to describe the
personality of the firm as they see it. Compare the two lists. Any
discrepancies? Commonalities? Finally, compile a list of the six to
eight optimal key words or phrases.
2)
Examine External Messaging.
Gather your marketing materials (brochures, stationery package, web
site, etc.) and identify the messages delivered to clients and
prospects. Each marketing effort should convey the same message. Check
for consistency of key message points within each marketing effort. The
messages should be clear and reinforce the firm’s personality. These
words, images and delivery mechanisms all go toward enhancing or
detracting from the firm’s brand. Consistency is the key.
3)
Audit the Client Experience.
Actions speak as loud, if not louder, than words. Diagram the process a
prospective client might experience. The process should, again, reflect
the same personality traits. If it doesn’t, your brand isn’t as strong
as it could be. Now, examine your internal processes. How does the way
you interact among yourselves and with employees stack up? For example,
if you tell your clients that you are a firm that listens, yet you
don’t extend that same ear to your employees, you are sending mixed
messages. The stories will get out, and your brand will suffer. Actions
must reinforce your brand messages.
A Unified Voice
When
you speak about your company through your brand, do so in one clear,
consistent voice. Your brand is one brand in a world of other brands.
Clients are barraged with messages via billboards, radio ads, the
Internet, TV, newspapers—the list goes on. When you get the opportunity
to present yourself to your clients or prospects, make sure they understand what
you are saying—what makes your firm unique.
It
is important that your brand is reflected clearly at all times and in
all media. An example is a real estate law firm that constructed a
beautiful, cutting edge office environment. From floor to ceiling, each
element was designed with a purpose. Yet, the Web site was designed in
a very formal fashion including a formal and staid photograph of the
partners – the exact opposite of the image their office (and their
firm’s personality) portrayed. The solution: an updated Web site more
clearly reflecting the progressiveness of the firm and more creative
photographs of the partners.
Another
firm rearranged their offices whose key message was “we speak your
language” placed all conference rooms on one floor and included lots of
amenities to make their clients comfortable. They took great pains to
decorate the conference rooms with relaxing and pleasing palettes. They
even had small “phone rooms” built outside the conferences rooms for
clients to make a phone call or take five. Yet, the “phone rooms” were
devoid of any convenience or comfort. The solution: add branded pens,
notepads and sticky notes in each phone room and custom photography
reflecting the firm’s vision statement.
Lasting Impressions
The
solutions are not “in your face” selling, but are subtle touch points
that together build a strong brand. The key is to coordinate brand
messages at every point and deliver the brand message at every
opportunity.
Perception
makes or breaks a brand. The more unified your message, the stronger
your brand. But vigilance at every level is key. You don’t build a
brand, you live it. It’s time to start living. When was the last time
you spoke to your clients and made changes based on their
recommendations?
Call us; we can help you get there.
- Christine Hollinden
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