|
By Robert Croston
Having spent longer than I care to admit pursuing traditional brand development through advertising, I recently became fascinated with the prospect of building brands using direct response marketing and lead generation activities. (I wonder what my colleagues at the ad firm would think if they knew!)
Traditional wisdom has always told us marketing types that our marketing communications are either 1) emotionally oriented and image based OR 2) direct oriented and response based activities. You simply can't do both at the same time.
Or can you?
Think about it. Every piece of communication you send to a prospect or client creates an impression. That impression, if reinforced consistently over time, builds a certain image in the mind of your prospects.
If you are continuously communicating to your prospects with integrated messaging, you are building a brand whether you use an advertising or a direct marketing approach.
Pulling Back the Curtain
Question: How can these two vastly different principles (one focusing on image and perceptions, the other on outcomes and relationships) be delivered in one marketing campaign?
Answer: By demonstrating your value in the marketing itself.
Because sales cycles for professional services are often long (and getting longer), it often takes a number of “touches”, sustained over a number of months (or years), to nurture a prospect into a client. Each touch is meaningful to the recipient only if it delivers value (i.e. an offer for a white paper, seminar invitation, research brief, etc.).
This value, and the consistent use of integrated messaging that reinforces your value proposition and market position, creates a dynamic where the prospect not only responds to your offers (direct), but begins to understand what you do and forms a perception around the value you offer (brand).
Here is how it works:
- You mail or email a value based offer that integrates well with your company's market position, for example you send them an an offer to hear the top-line results of research you have completed
- A certain percentage of your prospects respond to this offer
- You deliver the research, giving you an opportunity to reinforce your message and value
- You follow up by phone and schedule an appointment to discuss how this research relates to your prospect's business
- In the meeting, you find that this prospect is an ideal candidate for your services, but not ready to purchase, so you put the prospect on a lead nurturing program
- Over a number of months you:
- Call inviting them to a seminar or speech
- Email an offer to do something for them
- Mail an article featuring one of their competitors
- Send a custom email with additional research findings
- Call to follow up on the email
- Send a targeted direct mail campaign
Finally, after months of “touching” this prospect with value based offers, you receive a call from them because the time is right and the hook has been set.
Creating an Impression
These direct activities create impressions just like advertisements might. But they also create awareness, recognition, and ultimately preference for you and your services. We call this the Brand RAMP. As your communications campaign unfolds, the prospect is led up the ramp by receiving value-oriented communications.
Wellesley Hills Group Brand RAMP
- Recognize: I know who they are. (This starts with the original research offer.)
- Articulate: I know what they do (They learn this through an appointment about how the research relates to their business.)
- Memorize: I'd remember them. (This happens through continuous touches.)
- Prefer: They're the leader…I'm dying to work with them…They're very valuable…(This happens through ongoing value-based offers and conversations.)
This not only builds a brand (an image of you and your firm in the minds of your prospects), it demonstrates your brand and the value it represents. By repeatedly delivering valuable information, you consistently demonstrate your worth. This is far more powerful then just saying it, which does nothing to create a distinct and genuine impression in the minds of your prospects.
Using the Right Tools
Direct marketing isn't the only way to build a brand, but it definitely is a great part of it, considering the dynamics of a service company and the need for consistent articulation of your value across all touch points (verbal, electronic, and print).
The right marketing program, that “touches” your prospects regularly, with highly targeted, value-oriented messages, will increase awareness, recognition and preference. While most of the world still believes companies should build brand through image based advertising, a direct approach will get the same work done, and add revenue and leads at the same time. Does your advertising do that? |