When thinking about fast-food, generally a couple of names (and their respective logos) comes to mind. The same is typically true for sodas, sneakers, cigarettes, automobiles and theme parks too. In fact, I bet you can easily think of a half-dozen companies whose names have become automatic replacements for the actual products. Know anyone that goes shopping for "adhesive bandages," "brightly-colored gelatin desserts" or "the-cotton-tipped-things-that-go-in-your-ear?"
Building a brand essentially means making your name synonymous with the products you sell. Branding can give a company a competitive advantage as well as a distinct personality. But be forewarned - if you secretly harbor dreams of becoming the next ___________ (insert any name of a well-known dot com with a stock price that is currently higher than it''s IPO here), you must be prepared to work very hard to establish your name while spending the money needed for repeated exposure.
In the infancy of e-commerce, building a brand could be as simple as locking up a great domain name but those days are over - rest in peace Furniture.com, Hardware.com and Mortgage.com to name a few.
Now, branding has become more methodical, requiring strategic planning, effort and money to build consumer awareness and association. But in the end, an impeccable record of quality and an outstanding reputation for service figures the most heavily into the branding mixture. Would a certain online bookseller be experiencing gargantuan popularity if there wasn''t any substance behind their larger-than-life name?
Successful brand-building necessitates finding some delicate balances, such as spending a lot of money vs. spending a lot of money wisely. For example, last year''s Super Bowl boasted dozens of exorbitantly priced dot com commercials for now-defunct companies which is contrary to this year''s "not com" advertising. Instead of blowing the budget on one TV spot, effective high-level exposure can also be gained through sponsorships, well-placed billboards, print media and radio ads.
Another balance must be struck between exposure and over-exposure. Subjecting your audience, ad nauseam, by repeatedly hitting them over the head with obnoxious TV commercials or barrages of e-mails will get people to say your name, but often not politely. The point is to create positive associations with your name, not to launch full-on assaults.
Launching a large national, multinational or global campaign to brand your e-company might best be accomplished with the assistance of a professional marketing/advertising agency. The pros have already established guidelines and strategies for positioning as well as having insider knowledge as to whether the current business climate is conducive to brand-building success.
In any case, whether you opt for utilizing professional services or you attempt to establish brand identity on your own, the key is to create a likeable image of your company and its services. A well-developed strategic plan is required for successful brand execution.
Before you start fantasizing about all the prominent places your company logo will appear, read these articles:
Branding Gets More Support from Online Advertisers
Top Online Brands Becoming Household Names
Better Marketing Through Modern Mind Control
The Shotgun Brand!
Understanding Branding
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