AP Newsletter Issue 3 - February 2014

B R A N D I N G & S T R AT E G I C D E S I G N

Issue #2 | August 2013 Page 1

Issue #3 February 2014 News and techniques for branding and strategic design.

Personal Branding Branding is not limited to companies or corporations. Each individual person has their very own brand. When you think about anyone, your emotional reaction is part of that person’s brand. The “popular” kids in high school had learned, or intuited, the importance of strong personal branding. You knew who these people were and “something” about them, even if you’d never met them.

The same is true for all of us, our “tribe” (or group of supporters) may be smaller or larger, but we all have a personal brand. The real key is to be aware that you have one and to take control of the message.

After all, if you’re not actively building your brand, then it’s being developed by those who interact with you and it may be headed in a direction you’d never want it to go.

Should you jump on the new technology band wagon?

The first question you need to ask yourself before you invest your valuable marketing dollars into the latest and greatest “technological” wonder the marketing agency is trying to sell you is: Will this reach my target audience where they are? If the answer is yes, then the new technology would be a good way of getting your content in front of your potential clients. If you answer no, then no matter how “cool” or “cutting edge” this new form of marketing is, it will be a waste of money. You communications need to be on target and on content,

About Alice Pettey

In this issue: Personal Branding The new technology band wagon?

Understanding your organizations branding?

Project Spotlight: A Brand Make-Over What is your brand saying?

neither of these will happen if you don’t know your target market and their habits. This is why it is critical that you develop a detailed persona for your target audience that includes, gender, age, income range, education, social activities, and habits.

The clearer your picture of your customer base, the clearer you will be on what marketing outlets will be the right ones for your brand. For more help on developing your target audience persona, visit www.alicepettey.com/ downloads for a free worksheet.

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Alice has over a decade of experience in developing compelling brands and strategic design campaigns. From nonprofit to private practice, Alice will walk you through the processes of brand analysis, strategy and development, and provide you the tools to maintain and grow your brand into the future.

Issue # 3 | August 2013 Page 2

Does your team have a hard time understanding your organizations branding?

Branding can be a difficult topic for people to wrap their heads around, especially if they are not accustom to dealing with brands, tribes, color palettes, audiences, messages and how these all relate to the organization they work for. I’ve found a useful, although admittedly time consuming, process to help those outside of the marketing / design departments understand what a brand is and how to keep the organization on brand, is to develop a brand personification. Essentially, you develop a person who encompasses all of your brand specifications. This “person” is reflective of you target audience and how you want you want the organization to look, act, be perceived.

At first this may sound like a strange concept, but each of us carries our own personal brand. It’s who we are,

what we do, how we look, act, what we like, how we talk and interact with others. It is this personal branding that lets you go shopping for someone and say “This doesn’t look like, Sue. But this one is absolutely her!”

It is the combination of all of your interactions with “Sue” that allow you to identify items that are in alignment with her brand. Because we are accustom to this with our interpersonal relationships, it will be easier for your employees to relate with a “person” that represents your organizations brand.

Project Spotlight: A Brand Make-Over One of the organizations that I work with is Bethlehem Little League (BLL). From its inception BLL has been inconsistent in its logo and branding. As with many non-profit organizations BLL’s organizational materials have been dictated by the current league board and president, which means that the direction and look of the organization changed frequently as new people were voted into these positions.

In the last few years it became obvious that the true values and goals of the organization had been lost to the public and youth they services due in part, to the inconsistency and unprofessionalism of their materials, and message.

BETHLEHEM

With the election of the current league president, I was approached with the question of what could BLL due to revitalize the League.

We looked back at the history of the organization.

BLL has been working with the youth in the Henrico County community since 1960. BLL produced championship teams in the late 1960’s & 70’s, inspiring the players to return as adults in the role of Managers, Coaches, Umpires and Board Members. Currently, BLL has had difficulty in recruiting new players to their league and in retaining older players. They have been losing players in the late teens to other leagues

Issue #2 | August 2013 Page 3 because they are seen as more competitive and serious about helping them succeed.

After we looked at the history of the organization, the organizations existing brand, and where the organization wanted to be, it was determined that it would take a radical transformation of the organizations branding to change that current mindset of their target audience. Toward this end BLL has undergone an entire face lift, setting aside the inconsistent classic logo concepts, and developed a progressive logo to help inspire interest while ushering in new brand standards and positioning.

BLL rolled out the new branding with this year’s player sign-up. With a new logo, updated website, on target marketing and a revitalization of the fields, and uniforms BLL has already seen an increase in player registration. The hope is that with an official logo (for the first time in league history), and a standards guide that clearly tells the organizations history, goals, values, tone, and explains how to properly use the brand assets to keep the brand consistent, that even once the current president steps down this revitalization will be able to continue for years to come.

What is your brand saying?

Do you know what your brand is saying about you or your organization?

be helpful to get honest answers from individuals who may not want to tell you something that you wouldn’t Yes. Wonderful. I’m glad that you have a brand strategy like to hear, especially vendors and employees who may fear retribution for less than positive responses. in place that your managing it proactively.

No. Keep reading to find out how to take a quick look at what your branding is actually saying.

I don’t have a brand. I’m sorry to say, that you do. It’s just being determined by your clients, your competitors, and your employees without any guidance or input from you.

If you find yourself in one of the last two categories, it’s time to take a quick survey around the office, amongst your friends and colleagues, clients, vendors, and for the braver amongst you, your competitors, to get a quick feel for what your brand is.

Simply ask…

• • • •

What do you think about the organization?

What does the organization do?

What have you heard about the organization?

Is the organization helpful?

When you start asking these questions you may find that people are reluctant to answer. A third party may

However you go about getting answers to these questions it’s important to realize that you are not , and never will be totally in control of your brand. You do have the ability to be proactive and influence what others think. Present them with the stories, and images that you want them to relate to your organization, and this will be their initial impression.

However, if you tell them your customer centric and your employees don’t treat customers well, it will hurt your brand because you will be perceived as untrustworthy. This is why ii is important for your brand be sincere and have buy-in from your employees. It’s imperative that the brand is reflected in every touch-point that the organization has, including internally. If you are a “caring” organization, then you must care about your employees as well as the customer, or the incongruence will come through and your brand message will be muddied.

If you know where you are, and you know where you want to be, you can direct the brand message.

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