ABB-Always Be Branding

In the sleazy sales world of yesterday, illustrated by Glengary Glen Ross, the mantra used to be A-B-C: Always Be Closing. But in our new competitive, customer-driven environment, the alphabet has to change. Forget your ABC’s and think about ABB- Always Be Branding.

Here’s why you need this vocabulary change- you could offer the greatest service around. You could be ‘the’ expert. But here is the reality check. It doesn’t matter how great your service is or how much you know, if you are in a pool with thousands/millions of others, you’re just a goldfish (and if you had them as a kid, you know how long they last).

To be successful in today’s “everyone’s an expert, everyone’s a guru” you to need to start an each day with ABB (always be branding).

What is the secret to successful branding that leads to not only ROI growth, with increased sustainable brand leverage?

Be clear
Be direct
Be consistent

Clear: Is your message crystal clear? Can you tell your clients exactly what you do, how it will benefit them and how they should put the coffee down and “sign on the line which is dotted?” (another Glengarry nod for those of you unfamiliar with the film).

Direct: The more clutter that is congested between your ability to communicate your customer’s needs simply coagulates your ROI stream. If your brand message is precise and direct on who you are and how your customers can benefit, you just took half of your sales job away.

Consistent: Are you consistent? Do you use the same color scheme on your website, your stationary and your emails? Do you use the same font? Are you constantly driving the same message? Your customer even though he may not know it, is taking mental screen shots of everything. The more your message is consistent and your brand architecture is consistent, the more your brand will resonate in your customers mind when they need someone that has your service.

The more clear, direct and consistent you are, the more your customers will remember your name.

Branding is beyond a graphic logo, it is everything.

How will you implement your ABB’s?