Branding is a viable marketing strategy
http://www.mysterybranding.com
Your *1 branding service.
Businesses worldwide invest millions of dollars in branding campaigns each year. In fact, let's put aside pure branding campaigns. If you think about it, providing good customer service is branding too. The quality of customer service a company provides (good or bad), causes an image of that company to be branded into the consumers mind. Over time, a little here and a little there builds up into a solid perception of that company. Whether they like it or not they have established a recognizable brand by doing little more than going about their business.
When it comes to realizing the benefits of branding, most companies will tell you that it is valuable. But increases in sales can rarely be traced back to a single customer service or branding event. But that doesn't negate the value or stop companies from investing their money into these types of campaigns. The lack of trackable ROI on a per-sale level doesn't make branding (or good customer service) an unnecessary expense. In fact I don't think any consumer would argue against the necessity of excellent customer service.
So what's all this have to do with social media?
Social media is branding
Over time Target may see an increase in brand awareness and overall sales due to their clever TV commercials that do little more than show people dancing around a red target symbol, but I doubt they can trace any sales increase to a single commercial spot. I'm sure Wal-Mart can't track a single purchase to the addition of the elderly employee standing at the entrance greeting customers. But when we walk through those doors, we feel that Wal-Mart cares just a little bit more about me, the customer. So goes social media.
useful stuff to read more:
Branding and Brand Management
http://www.knowthis.com/management/branding-and-brand-management.htm
Whether marketing a corporate brand or a branded product or service, success increasingly demands proactive brand management:
http://www.brandchannel.com/books.asp
rand Genetics. What is the magic of brands?
http://www.allaboutbranding.com/index.lasso?article=456
http://www.mysterybranding.com
Your *1 branding service.
|
