Brand Loyalty - How Strong is Yours?

Jared Sandberg writes in today's WSJ about how brand loyalty in a family creates lines, that if crossed, create tension and strain in relationships. Here are a few examples cited:

• An Ohio-based husband worked for P&G and his wife worked for Kao Brands. They argued about what shampoo to have in the house and whether to even allow products from the competing company. The husband (with stronger brand loyalties) acquiesed when the wife raised the issue that her job brought in more money to the household.
  
• Tom Muccio was quoted in the column as saying that his Del Monte Dad would "hit the roof" when Tom's mother would buy private label brand canned goods to save money. Tom says, "it only happened a couple of times and then it didn't happen any more."
  
• In 2003, a Coca-Cola bottling company driver was fired for buying a Diet Pepsi from a store where he delivered Coke. Management at the Sylmar, CA bottling plant told the employee he was being dismissed for violating a policy prohibiting slander of Coke products.
  

In large corporations, such as auto manufacturers, brand loyalty is driven as much by the unions which want to prevent job losses as by management interested in market share and stock prices.

Small businesses can build brands, as well, much to their benefit.

In building a stronger business, you need to ask yourself 3 questions about branding:

• What brand(s) have you developed? Developed brands are clearly identified and represent values choices as much as they do product/service choices.
  
• How strong are those brands? In other words, how much do they influence your clients and customers to buy when presented with a choice in the marketplace?
  
• What steps do you need to take in the next period (quarter, year, etc) to increase your brand? Success stories and endorsements can be valuable in advancing your brand.
  

You might find the branding class that I'm teaching at MyBusinessGym to have more suggestions and techniques that you'll find useful.

A Change Can Be as Good as a Rest

"For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."
-- Lily Tomlin

As we enter the summer months, business owners and entrepreneurs should remember the importance of taking time off to recharge and refresh.

Unlike most other lines of work, the entrepreneur is almost always on. Always thinking of the new product under development, the client who needs attention, the opening that needs to be filled, the cash flow that needs to arrive.

Taking a break from business can often be the best thing you can do, paradoxically.

When you unplug for at least a day or two -- no checking e-mail or voice mail, your mind and body have a chance to step back from the daily routine.

When I go on vacation, I make sure that I get at least 8 hours sleep a night, bring non-business books to read, and go for long walks/bicycle rides in new locations to really give myself a chance to recharge and stimulate my mind in relaxing ways.

What works for you?

Start with the Belief that You Can

"He is able who thinks he is able."

-- Buddah

It's advice that's as relevant today as it was 2,500 years ago.

A core responsibility for a business leader is to develop confidence -- among staff, clients, and shareholder -- in order to attract the necessary investments in the business to make success possible.

People will contribute the money, effort, loyalty, talent, support, attention, and best thinking when they believe that it's for a winning cause.

What are you doing this week to perpetuate that belief in your organization?

I Admire Your Enthusiasm, But You're Heading in the Wrong Direction

"I wish people who have trouble communicating would just shut up."

-- Tom Lehrer

A client at a financial management firm said something remarkably similar to this statement earlier this week.

To build a stronger business in the area of interpersonal communications, you've got to do three things at the same time: encourage communication, model clear communication, raise awareness of different communication styles.

The weakest companies stiffle communication, which cuts off vital feedback and can cause all sorts of backlash and resentment. If you find yourself in a culture that is disrespectful, arrogant, or otherwise hostile to open communications, you may have to get out from that relationship, group, or company altogether.

Good companies not only encourage communication from and between all sectors, but they make a conscious effort to provide training and personal examples of communication that is clear, concise, and solution-oriented.

The very best companies and organizations explicitly recognize, reinforce, and reward good communicators. Part of good communications is supporting others to become more proficient. I've been fortunate to work with managers and leaders in companies such as DuPont, Apple, IMS, and Astra-Zeneca who demonstrated this with one-on-one interactions as well as in group meetings.

What examples of good communications are you aware of in your company?

Leaders are Readers

The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than all that has been presented in the entire history of television.

-- Andrew Ross


Television is the default entertainment source for such a large part of society, it seems blashemous to reproach.

However, to the audience of business owners and entrepreneurs who read these posts, it's absolutely vital to be aware of the quality of your entertainment/downtime choices.

Keep these guidelines in mind the next time you're looking for a way to unwind:

1. . Does your activity match your intention?
   If you want to unwind from a stressful day, then do something physical like taking a walk, a bicycle ride, or an exercise class. Sitting in front of the tube is often a way to collapse, not relax, after a hard day.
   
   
2. . Does your activity stimulate your body, mind, emotions?
   Call an old friend on the phone, go feed ducks at a park, join an after work softball league. Involve two or more areas.
   
   
3. . Does your activity make you feel more isolated or connected to others?
   Having friends outside the circle of work relationships is important for life-work balance. The characters from Friends don't count. People who know your name and know who you are do count.
   
   
4. . Does the activity match who you are today?
   Often, we perpetuate habits that were formed long ago. It's helpful to re-examine and upgrade aspects of your life. Ask yourself if this form of relaxation really meets the needs of who you are today and where you want to go with your life. Maybe you're ready for something bigger. Maybe something entirely different would really float your boat. Explore, discover!
   
   
5. . Set up your home environment to make effective relaxation easy and automatic
   This step involves proactive planning. It's so much harder to do certain things when you need to do them, compared to ahead of time. To set up a better relaxation environment at home, you might want to have meals prepared in advance (or at lease the shopping or prep work done before you arrive home). You might want to reorganize your CD collection or iPod play lists. You might want to schedule a tennis match with some buddies a week in advance and make it a regular appointment to avoid having to make arrangements each week.
   
   

So, what options have you thought of as a result of this article?

Quick Quiz -- What Holiday is Responsible for the Most Greeting Cards?

Is it:

Valentines Day

Mothers Day

Christmas

Fathers Day

Hint: It's a holiday centered around someone wearing red, but it's not the one you think!

According to Hallmark, Christmas dwarfs the second-highest, Valentines Day, by a hundredfold.




Here's the data from Hallmark: Christmas (1.9 billion cards), Valentines Day (192 million), Mothers Day (150 million), and Fathers Day (101 million).

Happy Valentines Day. ;-)

Stronger Business Quote: Frederick Wilcox

Progress always involves risk; you can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.

-- Frederick Wilcox


This quote uses a baseball metaphor to illustrate the need to let go of some thing(s) before we go after others. Successful business decisions require a combination of analysis, risk, and courage.