Bone of Branding

By Patience Chee

The talented and charming Patience takes you on a spirited journey through the oft-misunderstood area of branding, turning a crucial business topic into an energetic and exciting subject, delivered in a fun, engaging way, while always maintaining the integrity of the lessons she is sharing with us, her readers.

If you are in business, or if you are your business, this is a must-read book. Implementing this knowledge and understanding the importance of why branding works, how it works, and what happens when it goes horribly wrong, is a sure fire way to elevate your business and place it well ahead of your competitors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Faris Digital Solutions Pte Ltd
• Release date: Apr 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9789813170025

Book preview

Introduction

WOOF! MY NAME’S

SHANTA

Hey there, peeps! To those who read my first book; welcome back and for my new readers, I am so pleased to make your acquaintance. Here is my paw of appreciation; Woof, my name is Shanta.

I could have been called any other doggie name like Blackie, Brownie, Spotty, Tiger or Whitey, depending on my colouring or markings. Fortunately, my Mummy put a lot of thought into choosing my name, just as you would in naming your baby, your business or your brand.

In Sanskrit my name means serenity and calm. My Mummy chose this name, because I’m the calming force of her whirlwind mind. I guess that being a dog rescuer and writer does keep her on her paws.

Oh, wait, you people have toes. But do you have a beautiful, round, fluffy tail, which is the envy of every pooch on the block? I don’t think so. My Mummy is so proud of me that she even sneaks me into the church to let God and everyone there marvel at His beautiful creation: ME. My expressive tail, shiny coat and beautifully-trimmed paws pale in comparison with the other privileges I enjoy. I mean, what dog do you know who has access to the top seven tactics of branding.

Still, I like you. I can smell that you’re a sincere person who wants to make a name for yourself so that you can feed your family. You just don’t know how to get started!

The first step is always the hardest, because you will be up against your own feelings of doubt. There will be days when you will think to yourself, Why do I bother? and Will I ever make a difference at all?. Most people go through that at some point. You may be surprised to learn that even brand leaders who seem like household names today, faced failures, setbacks and mistakes at some point in their branding process. In some cases, it was those very setbacks and failures that created the most powerful brand stories. Sylvester Stallone was homeless and so broke he had to sell his dog, but this inspired him to write the story of Rocky, a character that defined him and made him famous.

Nick Vujicic had an even tougher start in life. He was born without limbs. Yet he refused to be limited by his disability. Instead, he began a non-profit organization, Life without Limbs at the tender age of seventeen and carved out a career for himself as a motivational speaker.

That is why I want you to promise me that you will make whatever I teach you part of your everyday routine. Do I have your word? Well, shake my paw and let’s get you started! I know this seems like a big mouthful of ideas right now, but don’t worry; I have chomped them each into bite sizes just for you to savour and digest, until they are a part of you. So, get ready, get set, and let’s walk through the following pages to create your brand.

BONE NO. 1

ENGAGE AND ENTHRALL:

According to Mummy dearest, branding is the process of engaging and enthralling your audience by making the most of those unique features that define you and only you. How does it work? Allow me to give you one very effective demonstration.

My brand is my name, Shanta. When my mistress calls Shanta! I bound towards her, furiously wagging my tail. She pats my head. I feel her tension dissipating. Now it’s my turn and I lie down with my legs in the air, waiting for a belly rub. It is a transferable experience, from which both of us benefit.

It really is as simple as that. A brand attracts people with its unique package and features. Does that mean I am trying to shove you into a brightly coloured box? Well, only metaphorically speaking.

What Branding Is All About:

Before we go any further, I need to explain one small thing. In the next pages, I will be talking about you alternatively as a ‘brand’ or a ‘package’ or a ‘product’. Your brand can be defined by your name, your logo, your product, your service, your expertise and your behaviour. How does that relate to the concepts of ‘product and ‘package’? Consider the following:

• A brand is a distinctly identifiable entity (whether a person or a company) that has marketing potential.

For example, Coke, Disney and Samsung are brands, but at the same time people like Oprah Winfrey and Miley Cyrus can also be identified as brands.

• Branding is the process of marketing a commercial entity (company or person) by emphasizing identifiable traits

• Products are the fruits of a brand

With most brands, the primary function is to create products. For example, the Yaris car model is a product of the brand Toyota. The Galaxy S6 is a product of the brand Samsung and the movies Pocahontas and 101 Dalmatians are products of the brand Disney. In the same way, O Magazine, is a product of the brand Oprah Winfrey.

• A package is a marketing device used by a brand

For example, the Disney Book Club is a package of the brand Disney.

Branding is not a new concept. Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics show cattle being branded, demonstrating that humanity’s brandabondage goes back a long way.

What is brandabondage, you ask? My Mummy came up with that term. In her youth she lived like a vagabond and, as she learned about branding, she asked herself, Isn’t this branding quest almost akin to embarking on a voyage of brand building where you will be required to bond with customers and the public?

To be effective, branding needs to become a lifestyle too. Once you have defined your brand, you need to be persistent and consistent, constantly moulding your brand to reflect the changing times