Book Summary Preview :
Brand to the Bone

The Big Idea

A successful marketing consultant and branding specialist shares his expertise and experience on ways to develop and grow a small business into a big brand. This is a “must” read book for those who want their products or services to become the brand leader in their category. The author gives easy-to-do pointers that serve as keys to improving the company’s bottom line, thus creating brand equity and incremental shareholder value in the long term.

Embracing the philosophy that customer is the heart of any business, the author talks about building relationship and partnership with customers for a lifetime by applying his own version of CRM (Customers Really Matter), and in the process, experience tremendous and lasting growth.

How do you want to grow your sales from a $2.5M to $30M?

This is not fiction, this is a real story! Ask Durasol Awning, a retractable–awning manufacturer, and they will tell you that marketing and branding are significant reasons for its growth and success. It is really about developing a brand and a brand name, and a point of difference to set the brand apart that counts. There are so many brands in the market, how will your brand be noticed if you are in a “me too” category?

What is Branding?

Defining branding is like defining love. One can define it in his mind, but it may not match other people’s idea of what it is. Branding may mean different things to different people. Branding should be done with a passion. There are no other rules.

What does “brand to the bone” mean?

It means that your brand is not just the logo at the top of your letterhead or your packaging. It is much deeper than that. It’s what your product stands for and the feeling it imparts to everyone who touches the product. Your brand identity should go all the way through everything that your company touches, every person who works in the company, and right on down to the consumer and your suppliers. Everyone who works with you, and everyone they talk to, they all represent the brand — they are the brand!

Why should you want to build your brand?

The most relevant reason is the positive effect on the company’s bottom line, thus increasing the shareholder value. The second important thing is the value of brand equity. In the U.K., brand equity is looked in a much favorable light than in the U.S. Companies in the U.K. have even gone to include brand equity as an asset on their books. In the U.S., the brand equity in the form of “goodwill” is addressed only when the company is being sold.

A strong brand can protect a business against competitive attacks, market fluctuations, and price wars. A brand leader has an edge over its competition in terms of premium price positioning.

Do you have Brand Commitment Statement?

Brand commitment statement is just putting into words what you want your brand to mean to your company, the people in it, and the people who buy your products. Everyone in the organization should know what the company stands for. It is very important that everyone gets involved in the process of developing the winning statement.

Having the right people in the organization is very important in bringing the brand message across consistently. Make sure that you hire talented people who will enhance and grow your company. . . . . .