Competition and Successful Branding

When I think about brands some that come to mind are Starbucks, Gap, Nike, Under Armour, Easton, Barnes and Noble, BeautiControl, Academy, Dicks' Sporting Goods, and Yankee candles.  Why do these come to mind?  Because I use these products and take advantage of their services.  But branding is not about the name.  Entrepreneur.com defines branding as "the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products".  The legal term for brand is trademark.  In class we have been discussing the power of a strong logo and/or slogan, especially how it relates to Troy University.  For Troy, I love the personalization of "where students are known by name, not by number".  However, many universities actually use this slogan and it seems more repetitious than unique.  The slogan "educate the mind to think, the heart to feel, and the body to act" seems to inspire what many people are looking for in this fast-paced society and technological advancements that are almost too much to stay ahead of.  This slogan, to me, shows that Troy University (it was Troy State when I received my undergraduate degree) is willing to take the time for each student on the things that matter most in life to succeed personally as well as professionally.  There are no barriers inherent in this slogan, therefore further validating Troy as a university that crosses cultural, racial, geographical, religious, and linguistic boundaries. One slogan that I have always liked is "advancing knowledge, transforming lives" that Michigan State University uses.  It sets the tone that education leads to a better quality of life.  It is a shared vision between students and their college leadership. 

Everyone has an opinion, and they are expressing it through digital media.  In ascertaining the best branding slogan, it would be wise to poll the faculty, administration, students, and alums on their views of the university and the pros and cons.  Research what is being said about the organization via traditional media as well as social media networks and blogs.  One facet that can be added wherever Troy's logo is placed is a link to a virtual tour that is entertaining (Greek organizations, sports, clubs, food venues, intramurals, etc.) as well as informative and highlighting Troy's many strengths. Marketing Troy's culture, personality, and experience are as important as our sports teams and facilities.  High-schoolers as well as 41-year-old stay at home moms are looking for an educational place to fit (the latter is ME).  I applied immediately with Troy for my graduate program because my undergraduate experience on campus 20 years ago was so awesome!  Troy's overall strategy to form its on-campus communities as well as international and online communities and provide them with an impeccable education need to be present not only in the logo, but in a prospective student's campus visit, in the classroom, during events, reflected in the architecture (which Troy has exceeded expectations), and in its publications. It is important to persistently communicate the same message.  Oftentimes, saying too many things at the same time ends up saying too little.  I am really proud of Troy's marketing strategy and the integrity it entails.  Go Trojans!
 

When it comes to branding, we don't simply want a piece of the pie.  We want it all and it needs to be delicious to whoever is consuming it with us.  Not only do we want our mission to be one of integrity, our products and services to be impeccable, our corporate social responsibility to be generous, but we need to hold our internal corporate values to a high standard as well.  Companies need to treat their employees and clients very well.  Unfortunately, many management teams are increasingly disconnected from their staff.  One factor inherent in successful branding is relationships with employees as well as customers.  According to Tim Leberecht, this "turns transactions into interactions and generosity into a currency". His TEDTalk was entitled "Three ways to (usefully) lose control of your brand (reputation)".  The truth is that giving employees more control over their work makes them happier and more productive.  For example, Netflix has an open vacation policy.  They gauge success by what employees accomplish instead of the amount of time they work.  This requires mature and responsible employees who care about high-quality work.  Awesome!  Another idea Leberecht offers is having employees complete altruistic activities during the day.  It makes them feel less pressed for time and increases their sense of productivity.  A daily heroes program can be set up when an employee is "caught" doing something nice for a client or fellow employee. 

In terms of voluntarily losing control, Leberecht posits, "Companies are utterly exposed to serendipity, and this should make them more humble and more human.  Staying true to yourself is the only sustainable value proposition".  Honesty and integrity are aligned with being respected.  Companies with a successful brand should remain open to all possibilities, especially with the social media explosion and inconceivable technological advancement.

Branding is also vital on a personal level, as well.  This entails marketing yourself and your career.  One of the main purposes is to stand out in your career.  Alonzo King said, "What's interesting about you is YOU".  This includes things such as online presence, experience, offline and online relationships, personality, industry description, and clarification of what you have to offer.  I am currently working on my "personal brand" and how I would communicate it via words.  Aside from being a Director of 158 ladies with BeautiControl, I have been a stay-at-home mom for 14 years.  Therefore, my skill set includes CEO, personal chef, head cheerleader, housekeeper, chauffeur, judge, PhD in Anger Management, hair stylist, therapist, teacher, finance manager, art director,

landscaper, lifeguard, stylist, event planner, travel agent and tour guide, seamstress, bodyguard, nurse, secretary, personal shopper, photographer, decorator, coach, and forensic investigator.  Wow!  Who wouldn't want to hire me? I am actually thoroughly enjoying scouting the landscape to enter the corporate world again.  The great thing is many corporate jobs now can be successfully completed at home, it usually saves corporations overhead expense and increases their bottom line, it affords an extraordinary boost in quality of life for many, optimum flexibility, employers can hire from anywhere and are not limited by location, and they get optimally productive and self-disciplined employees.  There are programs such as Basecamp to gather and communicate project information, many tools for online communication, and virtual water coolers to maintain social cohesion.  It is extremely efficient, and these employees are less interrupted by meetings, office noise, and management.  Many of these companies arrange employee meetings several times a year for face-to-face interaction.  The corporate world of today is much more exciting than it was 14 years ago and a degree in Strategic Communication was unnecessary 14 years ago.  Branding is essential in differentiating yourself and/or your company from others.  Companies explore personal brands, just as we research corporate brands.  The keys are inside out authenticity, integrity, passion, quality, and transparency.