I admit it, it’s taken me a long time to REALLY understand how to brand and position a company and produce tangible marketing results. The best companies don’t just blast a message out without careful thought and consideration. First and foremost, they take a step back and look at things strategically.

One of my favorite sayings is the old, “ready, fire, aim” analogy, which I see all the time when it comes to branding and positioning. The best companies take the time to, “ready, aim and then fire” when approaching their branding, their position and their go-to-market strategy. They really understand the value they bring to the marketplace and how to effectively communicate it.

I can’t tell you how times I’ve heard, “we’re going to throw some stuff against the wall and see what sticks”. Bad idea. You will damage your brand by going straight to the market tactically without first figuring out strategically what you want your brand to be.

Why figuring things out strategically is so important:

1. Throwing things at the wall and coming off half-cocked makes you look like you are still trying to figure out what you want to be when your company grows up.
2. I would estimate 90 – 95% of companies say what they do but not why they do it or why their product is better then their competitors’ products.
3. Do you really want to be just like everyone else? Or do you want to be original, unique and stand out from the crowd?
4. Do you want to be a leader or a follower?
5. Can you clearly and concisely communicate your value proposition in a compelling 30-second elevator pitch?
6. Does your brand help position your company for where it wants to go in the future (i.e., acquiring funding, going public, selling the business, etc.)?
7. Have you figured out how your brand is going to become a reality with a company-wide, holistic launch? What’s your plan to launch your brand internally and externally?
8. Will your brand have legs and resonate for a period of time or is it just a one hit wonder?

If you are committed to getting your company to the next level, following these strategic guidelines will help you develop your company’s brand and position – and will greatly increase the chances of a successful implementation. Add that to a holistic, managed brand implementation while pro-actively getting your message out to your target audience – you have a winning recipe for success.

Written by Michael Doyle, President of Brand Iron

“Luck? I don’t know anything about luck. I’ve never banked on it, and I’m afraid of people who do. Luck to me is something else: Hard work — and realizing what is opportunity and what isn’t.”
-Lucile Ball

You can’t avoid that these economic times are putting a lot of companies out of business. Here at Brand Iron, we have been constantly reminded of that; in the past 9 months, we’ve seen two, very local marketing companies close their doors.

We are happy to report that through a lot of hard work, our clients are going strong and Brand Iron is going strong. Everyone at Brand Iron is very excited that we are a finalist for the DMCC’s Small Business of the Year Award.

We wanted to pass on a few things that have helped us confront and dampen the economic blow:

• Build you database – broaden your world of potential clients
• Go to where the money is – focus on your most profitable vertical markets or geographic areas
• Keep your brand message relevant to your target market – adapt to their pain points
• Increase your sales and marketing activity levels – it is vital to “touch” your prospects

At Brand Iron, we don’t believe in luck – we believe in hard work, targeted work and working intelligently on the aspects of your brand strategy that make the biggest impact. Our goal is to help you keep your doors open, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, to keep new clients and customers coming through them.

Please contact us today to learn more about how Brand Iron can help you develop a holistic brand plan that addresses your sales, marketing and operations.
Written by Josh Barker

At lunch the other day at the Blue Bonnet Café in Denver, Colorado (not a client by the way), this very warm and friendly gentleman approached me and my guest at lunch. Gary was his name and he expressed his true desire to make sure we were having a great lunch and if we needed anything, please let him know. He also communicated his sincere thanks for coming in today and eating at his restaurant. This isn’t a once and awhile occurrence, Gary does this all the time, making sure all his guests are treated well and taking care of. I eat there regularly and Gary is always there taking great care of his guests. Gary is an example of a true brand champion. He exudes customer service and appreciation of the people that come to dine in his restaurant. Whether you run a restaurant, a one-person company or a multi-billion dollar company, we can all learn from his approach to leading and “riding” for his brand. We can all get out in front of our clients and communicate our brand’s value and what it stands for. Customers enjoy hearing from brand champions. Let’s all lead our teams as brand champions to communicate and deliver our company’s value. “Hats Off” to Gary and his restaurant, the Blue Bonnet Café, in Denver, Colorado.

Written by Michael Doyle, President of Brand Iron