OMG! A Consumer's nightmare - Brand Invisibility!!!

Now really, would you eat products from an unknown source?  Or take the risk of offering them to your guests?  And yet - perhaps unintentionally - that is what the so-called business owner was suicidally suggesting.

I received an announcement offering bulk orders of handmade chocolates as special gifts, with an invitation to look at their website.  It was very well done and featured attractive designs and packaging for a range of occasions and budgets, with nation-wide delivery services too. Nice!  They were made with no preservatives etc, and by a chocolatier.  Hmmmm. Interesting. There were photos of door gifts, themed gifts, thank-you gifts - you know; any occasion where chocolates would provide a lovely touch.

So I checked out the 'About Us' section. Choke! Splutter! NOTHING except an address and phone number. No credentials warranting the use of the term 'chocolatier', person's name, qualifications, licence to trade, nothing!!!! AHEM!

Now, what if you'd ordered a batch for an event say to celebrate an occasion, and those guests who consumed the chocolates became ill from eating them?  WHAT would you do? HOW would you answer them? WHERE would you go to for recourse?  Even your reputation as a host would suffer!!

Part of Branding is about giving an assurance of the quality of the products or services on sale via credentials like certifications, endorsements from credible sources, evidence of years in business etc.  If you'd like me to suggest how you might strengthen the credibility of your business, do call me at 6-03-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net?

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Would you invest $ in a non-brand?!!!!!!

WOWEE!  The price of gold and silver has leapt by leaps and bounds in just a decade!  And naturally ppl want to know more - especially as inflation creeps up and financial systems lose their lustre.  My associates certainly wanted information on how, where, pay-offs, assurances etc. and invited a some reps to make presentations.

The facts they presented were fascinating and backed by search engines (yeah, grin).  And they brought gleaming samples that attractively winked wickedly too! Quite tempting.  But, but, ...................  questions remained.  What brought those on?  Quite simply, it had to do with facets of their presentations:

One came dressed shoddily (representing precious metals?) and seemed put off by the incisive questions, another represented a well known company but lacked confidence about the products, and yet another had no business card, office or company bank account!!!!!!!

Ahem! What can I say?  Did they really expect investors to part with large sums without presenting some credentials and projecting credibility?  The answer would seem to be obvious yet there are some who just haven't yet made the connection.  Serious customers want to know what checks and balances they can rely on to protect their investments, and personal guarantees alone simply aren't enough.  Almost anything can be faked after all -even gold, its been found!

Do you know someone who has a great product or service, but would make more sales if they took a bit of time to cultivate their personal brand image to reflect the essence of their Brand?  I'd be delighted to help them to become more profitable in shorter durations.  Just have them call me at 603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Personal Branding: its role in any Company's image

The mid-career lady turned, looked at me wide-eyed and asked "WHO is this fellow?  Is he really their employee or senior officer?"  Ouch & SO UGLY!!!

You know, I really love the part of what I do where I groom ppl who are new in their positions, because of the joy it brings when they become successful from applying their new knowledge.  So, I had partnered with a newbie to show her the ropes.  We had paid to attend a formal training session and while the substance was excellent, the delivery was quite remarkably shocking!

The trainer knew the subject matter well but was sooooooo unprofessional in his awkward attempts to bond with the participatns - using foul language, crude phrases, boasting, talking down etc. to project himself as a 'regular' guy.  Sadly, he forgot his role and context.  Yes, I've seen this before:  there was this other trainer who insisted that her classes call her 'sister', and had to endure her singing to them as well. SIGH.  Neither of hese trainers put their professions first and (knowingly or not) were plain ego-tripping. :(.  Both had been hired by very prominent companies to groom their ppl and OMG! had become confused about their WHY and HOW.

Hmmmmm.  Guess what folks?  That is one of many key differences between subject matter experts and Certified Professional Trainers (CPT's). CPT's know that our roles are to be warm, friendly, and nurturing, but never personal.  No inappropriate words, gestures, or behaviors represent any company to its best advantage.

A company's points of engagement with customers is critical to how that company is perceived.  Sales may still take place,, but profitability becomes compromised when representatives are unable to see themselves as projecting a brand.  This is true (and even more critical) for sole proprietors who have a Brand Essence to capitalize on.

Here's where personal branding becomes an essential part of sustainable profitability - it is even more reliable than an image or credentials.  Personal branding is about what ppl experience over time and includes a multitude of areas.  It is a very satisfying area for me to coach ppl in and be a witness to the transformation they achieve for themselves!

Do you know someone who'd benefit from coaching in personal branding to achieve their business goals?  Please have them call me at +603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net.

BRING ME THE BRAND & I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Brand Credibility meets Delusion :(

The report sheet shouted at me and my heart froze in disbelief! This was like the Emperor strutting around to show off his 'regal' attire while onlookers could see that he had no covering at all! Stark naked!!!

What am I on about, you ask?

You see, there was this seasoned Group Leader who presented an image of being experienced and accomplished, and there was no reason to doubt his credentials.  But lo and behold: it was a time of corporate disclosure and everyone's track record was being shared while doing a whole group assessment.  And, his statistics showed that he was consistently doing worse than anyone else, would you believe?  So much for his having years of experience and panache eh?  His credibility of ably promoting the Brand was now damaged for lack of concrete evidence although we had previously given him the benefit of the doubt.

You know what the most horrifying thing is though?  This state of delusional grandeur could hit any one of us! Yes, it could, if we start believing our own fanfares without being willing to be vulnerable to our peers.  They are the ones who promote the same Brand (perhaps differently) and understand its attributes and customers well enough to provide informed feedback.  Hmmmmmm - all well and good if we are willing to hear them out, and allow ourselves to be critiqued in order to excel.

But HOW can we get such feedback while protecting our egos and saving our reputations too?  The key really is firstly to admit to ourselves that no matter how good we are, market environments are dynamic and what works in one place or time may not work in another - no blame necessary.  Second step is to genuinely encourage credible people to give their opinions, and thirdly to get another set of people to evaluate those opinions. Voila!  Peeps, when it comes to our own performance, we are not the best judge of it because our emotions are too involved. Seriously!

It's not difficult to set up a feedback system (formal or informal) that will enable you to stay popular with your customer - I'd be glad to provide an objective view.  Just call me at +603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and we'll get started.

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!   

Brand Credibility aka 'the proof of the pudding is in the eating of it'

Bing-bing! Bing-bing! went my phone, rudely demanding my attention when I was busy.  I glanced at the screen and didn't even recognize the sender.  And the message?  WOW! WHO was this????? I just had to find out.

Ha ha ha! I was delighted to find that it was someone whom I had not met for several months and we happily caught up with each others' news. She had seen a recent photo of me and reacted: "What have you been doing or taking? You are really looking good and I want to know your secret!!!! I have desperately been trying ALL sorts and NOTHING is working :( Aha! Now THAT is Brand Credibility at its best, and I was really pleased to be able to share my not-so 'secrets' with her :)

And you know what?  Just last week when I stopped off at a regular supplier, she had asked a similar question and then too I was able to tell her how she too could benefit from that brand too!  Have you noticed that people don't want to be sold to, but prefer to buy ie make their own choice of which brand to spend their money on?

There are ever so many good products available, with great credentials too, so competition is very keen. But NOTHING beats a personal brand that is a walking testimonial!!! Wouldn't you just looooove having your own Brand Ambassadors? woo hoo!

How can YOU have your brand promoted by walking testimonials to those who want to find out more, and get them literally panting to buy from you?  Call me at +603-21697704 or email evelyn@atheneumgroup.net and tell me what you represent and we'll work out a marketing strategy for YOUR brand!

BRING ME THE BRAND AND I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS! 

Saved by the bank officer!

"Hello Evelyn! This is SS from XBank!" I was still at the baggage carousel at the airport and had barely switched my cellphone on when the call came through, and I froze. What on earth!!!

"No, I can't come in by that time - I have only just landed, my luggage hasn't cleared yet, and it would take me a couple of hours! What do you mean there isn't enough $ to cover my cheque - I made a deposit before I left, and it showed up online too. Something is very wrong!"

"Let me check ............... you deposited into another account. What I can do for you is to transfer funds from that account so that the cheque can be cleared, and you can come in later to sign the order ok?" PHEW! What a saviour!

Now, how's THAT for good service? You know, everytime I go there the staff are always so personalized in their servic that I would not want to use another branch. If I re-located, I'd probably still drive over there, because building good relationsships is time-consuming and who'd want to start all over again anyway?

Having great service touch points not only brings in repeat business, but I would happily recommend new account holders to this branch too - they would take good care of them.

When customers find your service irresistable, you are well on your way to increasing your profits!! I'd love to help you to chart your service touch points to identify which ones you can infuse with a WOW factor! Just call me at 6-03-21697704?

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Can you actually prove your selling points?

It was a light-hearted and hilarious but strictly business session with everyone enjoying being educated about the more personal facts of life. Yeah, yeah, libido was on the list too of course :).

The burly, macho, VIP corporate men were politely challenging the petite, feminine representative of a health and beauty company, but were clearly not taking her very seriously! BUT the feisty woman from the public-listed company returned their questions with a volley of facts and evidence that knocked them into respectful acceptance.

"Why should we believe your claims?" "But there are other products which say the same thing!" "How do we know that these results can really be achieved?" These were some of the questions she faced. Familiar? You know what? ANY respectable business person ought to be able to defend their products and services in ways that earn respectful acceptance shouldn't they. Sure, you may not get an immediate sale for a variety of reasons, but you surely are earning their willingness to recommend what you are promoting, and with pride too!

As with personal leadership, respect gains an audience which then leads to customers who will recommend other customers to you. Branding stands apart from the types of selling that are quick-fixes.

What are some areas for you to highlight? Track records, innovations, awards, research, testimonials, profitability, etc AND also e prepared to defend how negative aspects are handled - projecting a bed of roses without the thorns raises more suspicion than confidence among discerning customers. Which assets will help you to be planted firmly in the minds of potential customers?

I'd be absolutely delighted to help you with promoting your competitve advantages and watch you build customer retention and loyalty! Call me at 6-03-21697704?

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

What's your price tag saying?

Hmmmm. That's an interesting pair of shoes. Nice colour too! "May I try these on in my size?" Felt sooooft and comfy too. And offered at a double digit price? "Where are they made?" "Paris! the sales assistant said confidently.

Hello???? That price considering the labor costs in the EU? If you had said made in Malaysia for export to the EU that would sound plausible. But made in Paris? At that price? Ummmm.

One of the most popular modules in my 'Branding' workshop is on Pricing Strategies as there are many aspects to consider before setting a price. Some offerings look to be of high value until they are examined more closely and vice versa too. Like it or not, a price tag sends a message in itself - even if it is an offer for a free service. Actually, if you realy, really want to capture customers who will bring you repeat business, offer a money-back guarantee and see how that goes down :).

But back to price tags. Customers do want good things cheap, but don't really expect that. So if something is cheap, the canny buyer will wonder if the sale is legitimate or whether the products are genuine, or even whether the seller is going to disappear without a trace; or if there is some other hidden agenda. They believe you when you have been at the same location or industry for a long time, or are known to someone whom they trust. That's Brand Credibility and is also where money-back guarantees play a part. (Personal branding also has an impact on closing a deal).

Perhaps you're wondering how YOU might build a money-back guarantee into your offer? Let's talk about yourproduct or service and work our what your customers will appreciate - you might even find that you are under-charging! I'd be glad to offer some insights - just call me at 6-03-21697704.

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Sparkles turn Sour

Oh what a warm, glowing, smiling face, accentuated by sparkling eyes! That was a decade ago and Mr. Nice was newly retired then after a rewarding career. He and his wife had children and grandchildren they're proud of, and were looking forward to enjoying more time spent in doing good for those around them. Recent photos of him though, showed a tiredness and resignation. When we do meet occasionally, his eyes reflect pain and disappointment. Yes, he still sacrificially plods on with his good works - he is sincerely passionate about them! He is a genuinely good person.

What on earth had happened? Well, in his desire to be of service, he had volunteered for a leadership position among a group of influential people. He felt that he now had the means and drive to be a positive influence alongside them. 'They' were glad to have a 'head', but he soon learnt that 'they' had their own ideas about how objectives were to be achieved. He had to make several moral choices during his association with them andand chose to go with the flow. A case of 'the tail wagging the dog'?

Like most, he chose the line of least resistance even kept silent when he shouldn't have. He wanted to be everyone's Nice Guy. BUT silence and/or inaction is a decision in itself, and he increasingly lost the respect that had taken him an entire lifetime to build. What a waste! Sure, he was still Mr. Nice but no longer was he accepted as a leader. His personal brand lost its shine and his personal pain increased. Sigh. Meanwhile his 'they' colleagues too lost their credibility while those who perservered with standing on principles gained reputations for being dependable in tough situations.

(History tells us that groups want Leaders who are decisive and directional - look at the depth of influence that (even eventually destructive) leaders from Hitler and Genghis Khan to (peace-promoting) Gandhi and Buddha had and still wield!)

Perhaps you are facing difficulties with taking a stand in your community? What are the risk-to-impact factors to sustaining your brand? I'd be glad to listen and help you to clarify what YOU really want to do to stay in a gainful position. Call me at 6-03-21697704?

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Seeing the fat emerge & wiped off is believing!

Have you been fascinated by the advertisements for slimming and toning problem areas, especially in belly, arms, etc.? I've often wondered what men and women experience to arive at the enviable body make-overs we see in the before-and-after photographs. Or are they even air-brushed? Well this demonstration of removing stuborn fat was going to be a treat to behold!

The first part involved discretely (blush) displaying a portion of my body while other ladies looked on ever so-politely. Measurements were taken at different points (ok, so no air-brushing). Then the representative applied a proprietary gel with a proprietary implement and in a couple of minutes PRESTO! The change in colour indicated that the gel had attracted fat out of cells in the areas it had been applied to. Or so she said - what was the proof?

Well, she showed us the difference of behaviour of fat versus gel in a jar of water, AND measured the treated to show an impressive reduction. WOW!

Yes - you are right on! The conversation became lively as we wondered about cost, frequency, gender, safety and so on. Our curiousity has quickly been turned into a desire and then decisions all round to use this particular product and its method. The Brands' track record helped too, of course.

The simple demonsration had addressed our concerns about the efficiency and credibility of this brand, and the person representing it. And she, had gained customers who would be willing to talk about it.

Are YOU looking for ways to get people talking abour your products and services? It's a great way to attract and retain customers and their loyalty - I'd be glad to suggest something different you could try. Just call me at 6-03-21697704, tell me what your business is about and your goals, and expect a boost in your sales! :)

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

What do you mean it's not about the $!!!!!!

Mr. International Product Manager was most perplexed, and quite honestly so were the rest of us! He was part of my class on Branding Strategies and had the most unusual issues - his company was cash rich, BUT the expenditure was not allocated towards making profits. You know what? in fact, what stumped all of us was that he has actually been tasked with providing support to small companies that were competing for the same markets he's in! Can you believe that, hmmmmm??? The directions from his principal office were crystal clear - no compromising on his deliverables! He was in a fog, and so was I :(

But aha! As the class progressed and we went deeper into discussing market postitioning, I was able to analyze his responses and translate them into what the principal office was really after. You see, their product/service was research (so the Product Manager said) and that is what he had been promoting all along. BUT what had not been so clear was that the research being done on local herbal products was not an end in itself. And that's why his task was not to focus on bringing in the profits, but on profitability - NOT the same thing. Actually, his role was to use his marketing budget to enhance the Brand Credibility (profitability) of the smaller companies so that they could focus on leveraging on his support to plan their Sales i.e. profit campaigns for distributing the herbal products. His role is to influence their customers as opposed to bringing in customers for them.

Why? Because his job was to represent a global name, whose market position is to help others to be profitable, that's why he was 'selling' his company's research. Well, once we had honed in on the essence of his Brand, we could derive action plans for him to meet his sales targets. You see, Marketing (profitability) is about resulting in sustainable sales (profits) that bring in repeat business; NOT just the quick $ transactions. Mr. Product Manager left the class a very happy man :)

Are you positioning your Brand towards profits (quick sales) or profitability (repeat business)? I'd be glad to offer some suggestions on how you can leverage on your strengths to bring in repeat business, and so gain you more time for doing other things you'd like to. Just call 6-03-21697704 and we'll get started :)

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

Is Brand Experience over-rated? under-rated? irrelevant?

Her face was wide-eyed with anxiety - her eyelashes spread out like spiders' legs across her pale skin. "Where did you put your mother?" she almost demanded to know!

It's strange yet huggy how families pull together in hospital wards isn't it? Ms. Anxious had overheard the conversation between Datin and me about caring for the infirm - her husband is admitted regularly for a weak heart (my dad had that problem too) and the family had a routine set-up now now. You do, but your heart still pounds you know. By contrast, Ms. Anxious' mother had been a hale and hearty, spry, independant octagenarian who was rudely felled by a stroke, unnannounced, and the family were quite shocked and at a loss to know how to care for her in the best way. So our conversation about caring for the inform was of great interest to her and her siblings.

The nursing Home my not-so-mobile mother is in has been wonderful for her and me - she feels comfortable and pampered, and I am at peace knowing that she is attended to very well, at staffing level that aren't possible in my home. Numerous Homes are clean and efficient, but the difference is that the staff in this one are loving and jovial, cracking jokes, singing, dancing, teasing and cajoling. Their attitude is such a tonic for those under their care! (One of them who migrated still keeps in touch, sending us her updates - such genuine warmth.) Someone else wo had been referred through our experience was delighted at how her mother had improved after an unsatisfactory experience elsewhere.

Trusting your defenceless loved ones to virtual strangers is not an easy or comfortable decision to make and to have confidence in this place is VERY precious and to be thankful for.

When I had mentioned their name, Datin immediately recalled the owners, their connections and their reputation. Aha! So between what she and I had said, Ms. Anxious was most interested in placing her mother there to be rehabilitated after the stroke. Sure, the name was the Brand, but it was the experience that clinched the desire!

How might YOUR brand be raved about and marketed to beat your competition? I'd love to share some ideas that make you business more profitable. Call me at 6-03-21687704?

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!

HELLO???? Remember my promise?

Hello!!! Can you hear me? HELLO??????

She was obviously driving and having difficulty in hearing our conversation, BUT extremely focused about getting her message across and not allowing anything to deter her purpose.
Networker had approached me several times previously about getting some tips for expanding her business – nothing extraordinary about that. What made her stand out in the crowd is that one fine day she called and said “I’d like to do something for you because you have helped me” Oh! “What do you have in mind?” I asked. She said please give me half an hour of your time so that I can understand your business. Hmmmm? “Why?” “Well” she said, “I meet many people and if I understand your business better, then I can refer people to you.” Nice thought; nice person, how can I be churlish and refuse? So we met in a little café and she asked all the questions she wanted. I couldn’t help but be touched by her gesture of appreciation. End of story, right? Wrong!

Long after I had forgotten about the incident, I received this very insistent phone call. Why? Because Networker was SO excited about having been able to refer me to a high ranking person who would be interested in my process for blended learning and she had opened the way for a meeting! What an absolute sweetheart!

See, I told you there ARE genuinely nice people around, didn’t I? :D! Am so blessed to know some of them; but more than that, this Networker is steadily building her Brand Credibility among those whom she meets. And you know what? We’re ALL going to be very pleased to be able to refer business to her! YES WE ARE!

Want some tips on how you can build YOUR brand’s credibility and a pipeline of business from raving fans? Just call me 6-03-2169774 and let’s chat a while and get you more $$$!

BRING ME THE BRAND, I'LL INCREASE ITS PROFITS!