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The Marketing Connection
March 2010

What is a Brand?

The American Marketing Association defines "Brand" as a “name, sign or symbol or a combination of them used to identify products or services of the seller and to differentiate them from other sellers". Signs and symbols are part of what a brand is, but this definition is somewhat incomplete.

Walter Landor, who helped to create identities for a variety of large and well-known corporations said, "Simply put, a brand is a promise. By identifying and authenticating a product or service it delivers a pledge of satisfaction and quality."

A brand is a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer and the objectives that a good brand will achieve include:

• Delivers the message clearly
• Confirms your credibility

• Connects your target market emotionally
• Motivates the buyer
• Concretes User Loyalty

To succeed in branding you must understand the needs and wants of your clients and integrate your brand strategies at every point of contact. A strong brand is invaluable as you build and maintain your business.

It's important to spend time researching, defining, and building your brand. Your brand is the source of a promise to your clients and it's also a foundational piece in your marketing plan - one you do not want to be without. If you have questions or would like more information about branding please contact us.

Public Relations
The definition of public relations (PR) is to shape and maintain the image of a company, organization or individual in the eyes of the "public". Like many other aspects of promotional marketing, PR is used to address several objectives including:

Building Product/Service Awareness – PR can generate attention and awareness through media placement and special events.

Creating Interest – Stories in the media can help entice a targeted audience to try a product/service.

Providing Information – PR delivers information to customers that can help them gain an understanding of a product/service.

Stimulating Demand – A positive article in a publication, a story on a television news show or being mentioned on the Internet often result in an increase in product/service demand.

Reinforcing the Brand – PR integrates with brand reinforcement by maintaining positive relationships with key audiences and in building a strong image.

Public Relations Tools
There are several tools for carrying out a successful PR campaign that include:

• Media Relations
• Media Tours
• Newsletters
• Special Events
• Speaking Engagements
• Sponsorships
• Employee Relations
• Community Relations and Philanthropy

Advantages of Public Relations
Public relations can benefit your organization and it has several advantages. First, PR is often considered a highly credible form of promotion. Second, a well-structured PR campaign can result in your target market receiving more detailed information than they receive with other forms of promotion. Third, a story may be picked up by various media outlets, thus spreading a single story to many locations. Finally, in many cases public relations objectives can be achieved at a lower cost when compared to other promotional efforts. If you have questions or would like more information about public relations please contact us.

Email Marketing Tips

You may have noticed that in an effort to drum up business in these tough economic times, many companies are becoming more active with their email marketing campaigns.

On one hand, this is a sign of just how powerful and cost-effective email marketing is. On the other hand, the increase makes it makes it that more difficult to get your message heard over your competition. So how can you ensure that you get the most from your email marketing? Following are some tips:

Continually Build Your Target List

The more qualified prospects you can reach, the better. Don’t be shy about asking people to sign up.

Develop a Schedule

Send your newsletter frequently enough for people to remember you, but not so often that you annoy them.

Be Original

Offer additional information in your newsletter rather than a rehash of what you provide on your website. If people know they will find original and useful information in your newsletters, they will be more likely to open and read them.

Timing

Send your newsletter when it’s most likely to be read; Tuesday’s and Thursday’s are typically best for open rates. If you have questions or would like more information about email marketing please contact us.

Thank you for reading this edition of The Marketing Connection. I appreciate the feedback I receive every month and I am more than happy to address any topics of interest you may have in upcoming issues. You can reach me at (206) 992-9125 or najat@colamg.com.

Sincerely,