Loyal Customers Take Commitment
In today’s competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing external marketing programs designed to attract new business.Unfortunately, the cost can be very high with little return on investment. What is often lost in the mix is the fact that it can be much more cost effective to have a loyal customer base that returns again and again rather than constantly seeking the next new customer. Not that there is anything wrong with new customers, but if that is you primary focus you may be missing a great opportunity with your existing clients. When you put attention on your current customers and they feel appreciated they tend to be more loyal. Loyal customers are often willing to spend more and tell others about the experience they have with you.In the ten years I have owned and operated Just Bears and Stuff, a specialty gift shop located in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, I have learned a great deal about customer service.Even though some of it was from books, tapes and articles such as you are reading right now, much of my insight came from my customers.Not only have I managed to stay in business, I have a very high percentage of repeat customers. I don’t say this to impress anyone, but to impress upon you how important great – not just good – but great customer service is.nd has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of theBrand IS a competitive advantage

One of the most commonly overlooked sources of competitive advantage is brand. Branding is not just advertising, nor is it simply a catchy name for a company or product. The most important value in a brand is the value that it holds for actual customers. This value is very difficult and expensive to build - and fragile and easy to destroy. The difficulty of building and maintaining a brand is one reason why managers the world over tend to avoid spending much time or money on branding - especially in smaller companies. This is a shame, because a well-managed brand is so powerful that it can overcome almost any other competitive advantage. This one fact is the reason why larger companies with lots of managerial horsepower tend to spend a lot of time and money on branding.

What makes a brand valuable?

Brands are valuable simply because they cause customers to be inclined to purchase your product rather than someone else's. In a way, a brand is shorthand for the things the customer can expect from your product. In products that hold little meaning for the customer, this might be worth less, but in markets where the customer invests his or her ego in the purchase of a particular brand, that meaning can be priceless. Let's look at some examples to see where branding may or may not be important.

First of all, let's look at some examples of brands with tremendous pull. These brands will sell well just about anywhere they show up, because the customer associates the brand with qualities they prefer. Examples include:

Disney Nintendo Sony Harley Davidson Apple

Interestingly, none of these brands has universal appeal, in that not every possible customer will prefer the attributes of the brand over their alternatives. For example, the Disney brand is applied to many products:

Theme Parks Movies Licensed products such as clothing and toys Computer games Time shares Cruise line Broadway shows Television programming

In each of these very different product areas, the Disney brand means something a little different. For example, in theme parks, Disney means clean, family-oriented, creatively designed, expensive and (to many) crowded. The negative elements of the Disney branding in their theme park business are inevitable - you always have to accept the negative with the positive. But the positive elements are so compelling that millions of people from around the world spend a significant portion of their income to travel to a Disney theme park.

The Apple brand has a similar story. Apple carries a number of meanings, including well designed, easy to use, less popular and expensive. As with any great brand, this brand has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of the

This one fact is the reason why larger companies with lots of managerial horsepower tend to spend a lot of time and money on branding.

What makes a brand valuable?

Brands are valuable simply because they cause customers to be inclined to purchase your product rather than someone else's. In a way, a brand is shorthand for the things the customer can expect from your product. In products that hold little meaning for the customer, this might be worth less, but in markets where the customer invests his or her ego in the purchase of a particular brand, that meaning can be priceless. Let's look at some examples to see where branding may or may not be important.

First of all, let's look at some examples of brands with tremendous pull. These brands will sell well just about anywhere they show up, because the customer associates the brand with qualities they prefer. Examples include:

Disney Nintendo Sony Harley Davidson Apple

Interestingly, none of these brands has universal appeal, in that not every possible customer will prefer the attributes of the brand over their alternatives. For example, the Disney brand is applied to many products:

Theme Parks Movies Licensed products such as clothing and toys Computer games Time shares Cruise line Broadway shows Television programming

In each of these very different product areas, the Disney brand means something a little different. For example, in theme parks, Disney means clean, family-oriented, creatively designed, expensive and (to many) crowded. The negative elements of the Disney branding in their theme park business are inevitable - you always have to accept the negative with the positive. But the positive elements are so compelling that millions of people from around the world spend a significant portion of their income to travel to a Disney theme park.

The Apple brand has a similar story. Apple carries a number of meanings, including well designed, easy to use, less popular and expensive. As with any great brand, this brand has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of the

t of all, let's look at some examples of brands with tremendous pull. These brands will sell well just about anywhere they show up, because the customer associates the brand with qualities they prefer. Examples include:

Disney Nintendo Sony Harley Davidson Apple

Interestingly, none of these brands has universal appeal, in that not every possible customer will prefer the attributes of the brand over their alternatives. For example, the Disney brand is applied to many products:

Theme Parks Movies Licensed products such as clothing and toys Computer games Time shares Cruise line Broadway shows Television programming

In each of these very different product areas, the Disney brand means something a little different. For example, in theme parks, Disney means clean, family-oriented, creatively designed, expensive and (to many) crowded. The negative elements of the Disney branding in their theme park business are inevitable - you always have to accept the negative with the positive. But the positive elements are so compelling that millions of people from around the world spend a significant portion of their income to travel to a Disney theme park.

The Apple brand has a similar story. Apple carries a number of meanings, including well designed, easy to use, less popular and expensive. As with any great brand, this brand has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of the

nt product areas, the Disney brand means something a little different. For example, in theme parks, Disney means clean, family-oriented, creatively designed, expensive and (to many) crowded. The negative elements of the Disney branding in their theme park business are inevitable - you always have to accept the negative with the positive. But the positive elements are so compelling that millions of people from around the world spend a significant portion of their income to travel to a Disney theme park.

The Apple brand has a similar story. Apple carries a number of meanings, including well designed, easy to use, less popular and expensive. As with any great brand, this brand has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of the

nd has a lot of ego invested in it for some people. This aspect of branding is more visible in computers because it is significantly more difficult and time consuming to use a computer operating system that isn't the most popular (in other words, Microsoft). Despite this difficulty, Apple has a hard core of fans who wouldn't think of using another brand, given a choice. Clearly, this doesn't translate into top market share for Apple, but it is a significant advantage that has clearly kept the Apple name alive when others have fallen by the wayside. Apple's newer products - notable the iPod - have drawn upon the positive elements of the Apple brand. The negative elements of the Apple brand have been far less problematic for the iPod because it is competing in a new product area where niche status has not been seen as a drawback. This is an excellent example of using a brand to grow beyond the core product line.

Why branding is important in the global marketplace

In an increasingly global market, branding can serve two distinct functions that may be useful to you: first, a "local" brand gives you and entrenched customer base that is more difficult (and expensive) to displace, and second, a "global" brand can give you a foot in the door when seeking to enter new geographic areas. Be forewarned: building a "global" brand is expensive, and often a "local" brand can be just as costly. Even so, the brand can be a useful offensive tool and defensive tool when you are competing with non-local companies.

There is one reason why "local" brands can be more cost-effective, and a good tool for defending your home turf from foreign competition: brand success is built upon three critical factors: 1. Understanding the key values in the mind of your customer 2. Knowing how to put the customer's values into your product or service 3. Effectively associating your brand with those values

Two of these factors, understanding your customer and associating your brand with values, are very much defined by culture. Thus, someone from outside your culture - and this could even be someone who speaks the same language from a different region - will find it much more difficult to get an accurate read on what your customer's key values are, and how to convince the customer that his product or service embodies those values. This is not saying that a foreign competitor cannot do this - just that it's a lot more expensive and difficult.

How to evaluate your brand

Objectively evaluating your brand is difficult, especially if you want to put an exact dollar number on it. Fortunately, this is usually not required for good strategic decision making. Still, it's a good idea to have at least a general concept of the value of your brand when you are considering strategic options.

The most objective way to evaluate your brand is to measure the outcomes that occur with and without the use of your brand. Sometimes this is simple, because the way you market may well lend itself to testing different hypothesis about your brand. For example, a seminar company might test mailing brochures that feature (or don't feature) specific brands, to find out the extent to which one of those brands is pulling in attendees at the seminars. Likewise, if you have the wherewithal, you might go so far as to test selling a "generic" version of your product in the marketplace to see if it c