by Allen Mowery

Branding is one of the most important factors in today’s business marketing world.  Maintaining a consistent image and message throughout all of your marketing efforts is vital for business, product, and quality recognition.  But in addition to knowing how to brand your business, it is imperative that you know your target market and where to advertise.

Over the past several years we have witnessed a dramatic shift in the sources for leads generation, from a corporate perspective.  Leads generated at the national log home and builders shows have a conversion rate of two to three times as long as those leads gathered from local shows.  Venues such as the Yellow Pages, newspapers and magazines that had once been a tried and true method for attracting customers are rapidly losing ground on a global scale.  The Internet is becoming the number one resource of choice for consumers as they research companies, products, and ultimately life decisions.

Let us take a look at what you can do to strengthen your marketing and branding power.

1)  Be Willing to Change with the Times
As mentioned earlier, times are changing.  Some of the methods that might have worked the best for you in the past may not continue to generate the results you need to stay on top.  Marketing is not an event, but a process . . . It has a beginning, a middle, but never an end. You need to be willing to improve it, perfect it, even change it if necessary.  If required, do not be afraid to “think outside the box.”  Be creative; do not just do something because, “Well, that’s the way we’ve always done it before.”  Do not be afraid of new ideas and approaches to marketing.

2)  Strengthen Local Advertising
In today’s world and economic system, strengthening your  local advertising is more important than ever.  Focus your efforts on those specific areas that will generate leads and ultimately sales.  John Romero  said, “In marketing I've seen only one strategy that can't miss -- and that is to market to your best customers first, your best prospects second and the rest of the world last.”

3)  Connect with Your Audience
As Orvel Ray Wilson once said, “Customers buy for their reasons, not yours.”  Learn what your customers’ needs are, and see what you can do to accommodate.  If they do not need a 3,000 square foot home, then do not try to sell them a 3,000 square foot home, no matter how badly you might want the commission.  And David Ogilvy was once quoted as saying, “  If you're trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language in which they think.”  If you cannot connect with your customers on a certain level, do not be afraid to move to a “different level” of communication and understanding.

4)  Educate Your Customers
"No matter what your product is, you are ultimately in the education business,” says Robert G. Allen.  “Your customers need to be constantly educated about the many advantages of doing business with you, trained to use your products more effectively, and taught how to make never-ending improvement in their lives.”  Develop an understanding of what makes you and your business unique, and then communicate that to your customers.  Kuhns Bros. offers many advantages over competing log home companies, and it is the responsibility of the sales representative to continuously educate their prospects and current customers on the variety of products and services that we have to offer.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, not knowing where to begin?  Fortunately for you, you do not have to stay the course alone.  Unlike most small business owners you have an entire corporate office backing you, and a marketing department that is ready and willing to help.  Not only are we available for advice and guidance, but we have also implemented new programs to assist our network sales representatives in their marketing and branding efforts.  We are constantly developing materials to help you educate your customers in a language that they will understand.  Our new graphic design services department has already begun to assist representatives with local branding and name recognition (click here to learn more).  Our IT and web services department is launching a line of website development and maintenance services that will keep you on the cutting edge of today’s technological advances (click here to learn more).  And we are always here to offer our sound knowledge and expertise.

So as you are coming into this new year, set a list of goals and priorities, and adapt your marketing to achieve the results you deserve.

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