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Intelligent Web Design & Development Since 1996 Philadelphia-Web-Design.Biz 215.543.3221
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CorporateInternet Branding
Free tips and
strategies 9 Ways to Create a Rock-Solid 1.
Define your brand up front. When visitors arrive at your
web site, let them know immediately what you do and why they should
care. Far too many web sites shroud their identity in flashy
graphics and ambiguous slogans without telling people what the
company or person actually does. This is how the development of your
Internet
branding strategies come into
play. View your site through the eyes of a new visitor. Does it
spell out exactly what your Internet brand stands for? If not,
redesign it so your purpose and identity are unmistakable. The
opening paragraph lets visitors know exactly who the site is
for. 2.
Lead with what you do, not who you are.
It may defy logic, but making your company name the most visible
element on your home page may not be the most effective way to
reinforce your brand. A web-based or e-mail marketing message should
state a benefit right off the bat. Which of these paints a clearer
identity: The business name "Dog Owner Central" displayed in large
letters or the more specific description "Training tips for busy dog
owners"? 3.
Use a real person as a figure head.
The online world can be a cold, mechanical place. Your branding
efforts are more effective when you add a recognizable, consistent
human element. Think of the way Dave Thomas used to promote Wendy's.
If your company has a CEO or spokesperson who is closely identified
with the company offline, make sure that connection carries to the
cyberworld. If you run a business by yourself, by all means, put
your name, photo and personal message on your web site. Nothing
creates mystery and distrust more than a site that is void of a
human contact and asks visitors to send e-mail to the
"webmaster." 4.
Develop a fan-club mentality.
Most online marketers try to generate readers, visitors or users. I
encourage you to switch gears and create fans. "Users" are people
who visit your web site, subscribe to your newsletter or buy your
products and services. "Fans," on the other hand, cheer you on, rave
about you to their friends, and eagerly follow everything you do.
Which would you rather have? 5.
Make good use of words. Verbal
content is not only king, it's the entire kingdom. Even though
designers try to squeeze as much graphic impact as they can out of
limited bandwidths, what matters most online are the words you use.
I don't buy into the less-is-more, bullet-point mentality of writing
for the web. To create fans online, you must deliver useful
brand-related information and speak to readers in a conversational
tone. 6.
Make sure visual elements reinforce your identity.
While words are important, the look of your web site must also
support your brand image. Is your brand best served by hard edges or
softer, rounded shapes? Do primary colors capture your personality
or would earth tones be a better match? Find the design scheme that
best compliments your identity. 7.
Become a one-stop destination.
Let's say your company sells unicorn-themed knick-knacks, posters
and greeting cards. You might simply post an online catalog and a
few profiles of your products. However, a far better approach would
be to set up your site as a clearing house for all things
unicorn-related -- articles on the history of unicorns, personal
stories from customers who have been touched by their unicorn
possessions, unicorn-related photo galleries and message boards,
etc. Your online presence should establish you as the primary
resource in your field. 8.
Publish an e-mail newsletter.
Having a brand-centered web site is great, but you must rely on
people taking it upon themselves to visit it. Offering a free e-mail
newsletter allows you to build a database of subscribers who are
specifically interested in what your brand represents. Best yet,
being able to deliver your message by e-mail puts you in control of
the frequency with which your audience is exposed to your brand.
Repetition is crucial. To generate subscribers, place a newsletter
sign-up form on every page of your site. 9.
Be visible through online forums.
Small business owners should also regularly post to online forums,
such as message boards and discussion lists widely read by people
likely to be attracted to the brand. If your area of expertise
caters to motorcycle enthusiasts, make sure you offer useful
information -- not just a sales pitch -- in the places where
motorcycle enthusiasts gather. Be sure to include a link to your web
site in a signature file at the end of each
message. The Internet is still a gold mine of opportunity, especially for those who use it to create a recognizable brand identity. Use these tips to create your own indelible image online.
10 Writing Tips for E-mail Branding
Power 1. Use the person's name
in the salutation. "Dear Bob" gets my attention far more
than "Dear Sirs," which is politically incorrect on top of being
boring. It's okay to send an anonymous e-mail to find the name of
the person you need to contact or when sending a generic note to
tech support. Otherwise, always send e-mail to a specific person and
use his or her name in the salutation, especially when marketing
your brand. It's pretty common these days to use a person's first
name, even when contacting someone for the first time, but use your
own judgment regarding when it's appropriate to be formal or
informal. 2.
Have a great opening.
First impressions are important. When you meet someone face to face,
the way you dress and groom yourself has a great impact. With
e-mail, your first one or two sentences dictate whether your message
gets read or deleted. Make your opening words count. Don't write
lines such as "This is really important, so please read this" or
"The best way to explain who I am is by starting from the
beginning." Get
to the point, be specific and indicate a benefit, as in "I just
visited your web site and loved your dog grooming articles so much
I'd like to plug them in the next issue of my e-zine." Once you've
got the person's attention, you can spend a few more sentences
explaining who you are and what you might like in
return. 3.
Use short sentences and simple words.
For ten years I published a music magazine. Having seen hundreds of
submissions from freelance writers, I know there are countless
writers hell-bent on impressing people with their command of the
English language. These wordsmiths bob and weave their way through
longwinded sentences and hundred-dollar words. Don't engage in this
nonsense. Keep your e-mail messages simple and focused on your brand
message. Your identity will cut through the clutter much quicker if
you do. 4.
Focus on the recipient's self-interests.
With this topic, we encounter the yin and yang of branding and
benefits. On one hand, you must communicate your name, what you do
and how you do it. On the other hand, you must cater to the
self-interests and egos of the people to whom you send e-mail.
Here's the best rule to follow: Lead with benefits, follow up with
details on your brand identity. For
example, don't write, "I am a great photographer with an excellent
online gallery of my work. Please review my photos!" Instead, write
something like, "My customers have been encouraging me to visit your
photography site for months. I finally did and I'm sorry I waited so
long. What a wonderful resource you've put together. I can also tell
you enjoy exposing cutting-edge photography from up-and-coming
artists. When you have a chance, please visit my online exhibition
of sports photography. I believe your visitors would appreciate
knowing about this collection." 5.
Repeat your Brand Identity Statement (BIS) in different
ways.
You already know the importance of having a BIS. The obvious place
to use your BIS in an e-mail is to make it a part of your sig file.
But don't rely on that one reference alone to get your message
across. Repetition is the mother of learning, so paraphrase and
repeat the essence of your identity throughout your
message. 6.
Use pain and pleasure hot buttons.
"Crafting the Best Brand Identity for You," you must find a way to
position your brand image as providing a solution to your fans'
problems. Be sure to make references to those problems in your
e-mail messages, such as "Thanks for inquiring about my press
release writing services. Having worked as an editor for over a
decade, I can tell you that more than 90 percent of all press
materials are poorly written and end up going straight into the
trash can. I'd love to help keep your press release out of the
'round file.'" Don't
go overboard with this idea and write a cheesy "If you don't act
now, you'll be homeless and destitute" message, but do find ways to
remind people of the pain you can alleviate and the pleasure you can
help your fans attain. 7.
Have a purpose with every communication.
Don't just send e-mail for the heck of it. While it's true that you
must take action to promote your brand, that doesn't mean any action
will do. Before you send e-mail, ask yourself two
questions: What do I want to accomplish
with this message? What do I want the recipient
to do? Use
your answers to those questions to craft a better message. I often
get "hey, check out my site" notes or vague requests to "help each
other," which lead me to ask, "How?" and "Why?" Here's an example of
how to be clearer in an e-mail: "I'm contacting you to see if you'd
like to swap line ads in each other's newsletters. If interested,
please send me your ad." Make a specific proposal in each e-mail and
give the reader precise instructions on what step to take
next. 8.
Add a sense of urgency.
It's one thing to make people aware of you, it's quite another to
get them to take action to promote you or place an order. People are
often lethargic and hesitant to move quickly, even toward things
they are genuinely interested in. One way to battle this
sluggishness is to create incentives: a deadline, a limited
quantity, a free premium, and so on. You don't want to sound like an
infomercial in an e-mail and write "Act now while supplies last."
However, you can inspire action with a simple offer like "I'll give
you a free copy of my special report on fly fishing when you order
my book, but I need to hear from you by 9.
Use endorsements and testimonials.
Even if people know and trust you, they'll still be slow to believe
everything you say about yourself. The best way to overcome this
skepticism is to use objective, third-party endorsements. For
instance, if you're making a pitch to a webmaster to review your
hair-coloring web site, it would help to include something like "New
'Do magazine described our site as 'the coolest place in cyberspace
to learn about hair color.'" Include
the URLs to any online reviews to back up your endorsement claims.
If you're promoting a product, you can also include a "Here's what
some recent customers had to say about &" section. Anytime you
get a positive comment from a fan or favorable review in the media,
use it to get even more exposure for your
brand. 10.
Walk the fine line between modesty and hype.
One thing that has become apparent with online commerce is the
overwhelming attitude that advertising and hype is a turn-off. Over
the decades, people have become tolerant of intrusive ads and
marketing messages, but that acceptance is wearing thin. Knowing
this, write your e-mail messages in such a way that your brand
identity is unmistakable and the benefit you offer is clear, but
present them in a soft-sell manner. Bob Baker is the author of "Branding Yourself Online: An Internet Branding Guide and How to Use the Internet to Become a Celebrity or Expert in Your Field." Download two chapters and get more branding tips at www.BrandingYourselfOnline.com Contact Allure today to find out how we can help you create an unforgettable and memorable online image and Internet Branding identity by utilizing and incorporating advanced digital and interactive marketing enhancements in your website.
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