Why Startups need integrated communications to build brand value

Creating Brand Value for your Business

Running an integrated and Cost Effective

Communications Program

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Brand Building!! WHY??

• Brand building is the QUALITY & EXPERIENCE you promise to your customer!

• All else remains a Commodity to be purchased on pure pricing benefits - “Premium Vs Discounts”

• Simply put … a brand is the reason why customers will choose your product over the competition

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Ask yourself

Does it really matter to you which brand of petrol would you prefer to fill in your car & WHY?

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Building Brand value through customer experience

Research shows

• Since petrol will continue to remain a commodity, brand building happens at the petrol station level.

• They build on “customer experiences”

• Some Examples

• Services • Conveniences • Swanky retail outlets within

filling stations • Courteous attendants • Lesser filling time

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When “my product is a commodity”

• In some product categories, “Brand” is not central to the purchase

• Yet they spend time and money “building the brand”

• Its about VISIBILITY, EXPERIENCE and then LOYALTY

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BUT the Big Problem is the BUDGET !!

• So if we don’t have the budgets CAN WE REPLACE BRAND BUILDING with an aggressive pricing strategy?

• Experience says, it hasn’t quite worked even for players with deep pockets

• Ultimately the product experience and quality story is KING!!

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This marketing experiment is now being seen in ecommerce businesses

• According to a KPMG report nearly two-thirds of people buy online due to the cheaper prices and discounts

• Too many players in categories, vying for the same pool of customers

• Customer loyalties are low

• In India, ‘convenience’ is still in conflict with ‘touch and feel’

• Funding is increasingly becoming an issue and available now for the relatively BIGGER players i.e. the more recognized BRANDS

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Like it OR not… Brand building is key to survival and success of your business!

Some rules of brand building new entrants In the digital age

• Brand building is about “distinctiveness and Image” – It is NOT DIRECT SELLING!!

• Customers are now in charge…

• People will find you only if they want you

• The KEY is to be visible with a great reason why they should choose you

• They will also coalesce around you or against you

• The KEY is to get the WOM going in your favor

• It will be a slow burn & a sustained process– so

deploy it early enough

• Must be smart and cost effective,

conversation- generating and measurable

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Banarasi/Patan Patolas

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• Your Quality story

• Heritage Story (make sure it is distinct and rooted in your creation story)

• The Experience story

• The Aspiration story

• Save The World Story

Tip 1…Get online BUT Figure out your story first

And…if your story sells, your BRAND does too…

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Tip 2 – Tell your story through the RIGHT digital interface

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Overt Storytelling Covert Storytelling User Gen Content

• About Page

• Product Pages

• Return Policy

• Free Shipping.

• Design

• Colors

• Images

• Headlines

• People

• Comments

• Reviews

• Contests

• Polls, Surveys

Engagement is important here as Google wants you to do it

• And nothing “engages” better than great stories and storytelling

• Heuristic Measures Include • Time On Site

• Pages viewed by an average visitor

• Repeat visitors

• Bounce rates

• Mobile engagement

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Also…Keep it really really Simple & answer a need right away!

• Every website must answer in seconds, “What does Zipbuds.com want me to do NOW?”

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Tip 3…Start developing content around your story for high digital engagement

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• High Engagement led Conversion should drive your digital media campaign

• Encourage Reviews

• Blog that is real time and interesting

• Relevant real time offers

• Breaking news Stories

Simple Videos can tell powerful stories!

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Tip 4 – Use Networks to drive your messages

• You must be present and visible in industry forums

• You must be seen amongst your peers in conferences or exhibitions

• You must spend time with at least 10 journalists from your category – coverage or no coverage

• Social networking with “you” as the brand is important

Important: Be ready with your 1 single message that highlights the USP of your business

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Tip 5 – get some of your stories out in the media

• A unique idea that is the very basis of your business

• A Unique behind the scenes story

• Story of how your product changes or impacts lives

• Your story – a big career change

• Getting bigger brands to associate with you as partners

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Mera Gao Power aims to provide lighting and clean solar powered energy to power two LED lamps & mobile phone charging

point @ Rs 25 per week

Mirakle couriers Mumbai employs low

income deaf adults

You can do it yourself – understand what gets written about

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Tip 6 – Own a property that relates to your BRAND…

• Based on your business you should stand for at least 1 thing that is your marketing leverage

Some ideas

• A waste management company that works with children

• A furnishing company that works with endangered artisans of India

• A spices company that works with tribal population

• A garments company that stands for “ethical fashion”

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All you need is an Idea!! Innovate to promote

Ideas are free – and execution can be cheap too!!

Aviva Aircel

Tip 7 – Run some Low cost/High Impact promotions

• You need a little bit of professional help…specialists and experts who are among your friends– NOT big budget agencies

• You need to commit TIME– NOT Big Advertising budgets!!

• You need a bit of PR and BTL…that’s your only cost. Here too its possible to find cost effective solutions

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AND …you need to run it in an integrated manner… CONSISTENTLY !

The BIG question… what does it cost to run a

communications campaign for startups?

“Jugaad” is a word we gave the world!!

Passion and need drives the low cost solutions. Creativity is KEY!!

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Disclaimer

I am not asking you to do this ever!!

For more ideas visit us

www.strongkofee.com

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