This is what every good brand marketer works so hard for and longs to hear. To gain buy-in and operational understanding of the brand at every level of the company is what I aim for when building a brand. Not only should consumers be clear on what your brand stands for but if properly developed it guides the business and drives decisions at every level of the company.

This experience caused me to think of an analogy that I hope drives home the importance of fully articulating and managing a business with clear brand positioning. The analogy is a song.

Ideally, a song connects with an audience. It can uplift the listener’s spirit. It can make them laugh, or bring forth a tear associated with heartfelt emotional pain. A bold anthem can raise the level of confidence and spur someone to action. The best songs truly reveal the heart and mind of the songwriter or singer.

Lyrics that come from the heart and are sung with emotional power usually instill credibility and affinity with a listening audience. This is especially true if the artist has written it from first-hand experience and it comes through in the performance.  People will connect and buy the song because they take the song on as “their own.” They also relate to the artist.

The same goes for a brand. If everything your company stands for comes through with honesty and clarity and your benefits and positioning are articulated in a way that is consumer-centric, you will make a connection and build a relationship with consumers.  They become brand ambassadors, true loyal fans of your company.

If you ensure your brand positioning clearly represents what makes you unique, and better than anyone else serving your consumer audience, you will thrive. If consumers understand what is in it for them when they do business with you and you consistently deliver, they will support you. And, most importantly,  if you invite them to sing along with you and invite them to take part in your brand dialogue they will stick with you.

And don’t forget to communicate the brand attributes and benefits to every employee, every supplier and every department of your company.  Live what your brand stands for every day. Be true to yourself. If you do that consistently every person who engages with your brand will sing your praises.

And you will have a hit on your hands!

So many companies fail because they lack the commitment to articulating what makes them special. What sets them apart from all the rest of the pack. Communicating effectively, which includes speaking with and listening to consumers, about their strengths and unique benefits. Ryan’s right on target response to my tweet was about Apple overtaking Google to become THE PREMIER, most valuable brand in the world (http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20061004-17.html). He was simply supporting me in the fact that branding is vital. And no one has done it better than Apple in recent years.

I have a been a HUGE Apple fan since my first interaction with Apple Mac computers in the journalism lab in college WAY back in the early 90′s. I remember buying my first Apple desktop when hardly anyone, other than elite graphic designers, purchased a Mac. PCs ruled the day and Apple was just a strange sub-culture to so many. But I loved everything about the Mac, from the design of the machine and the feeling that I was buying a game-changing piece of equipment that would help me succeed in my new profession as a PR/Advertising dude!  PLUS, Apple made the genius move of giving college students a nice discount that converted someone like me into a life-long fan. They did so many smart brand building moves like this to make each of their users feel like a member of a beloved community that was truly special. Apple made me and millions of others think proudly, “It’s our brand!”

So, I continued using Apple products in relative obscurity. Over time, I began to notice that a few fans outside of the ad agency world began adopting the brand. Apple introduced more mainstream products like the cute, brightly colored iMacs, which were a hit with families. But with one innovative product introduction, Apple changed EVERYTHING. They launched the iPod.

The launch of the MP3 player with the ultra-cool design helped catapult the brand beyond cult status and into the mainstream. But the company still made every consumer feel like they were a part of some secret organization. Every product evolution was announced by Steve Jobs and fans waited with bated breath for what would come next. Then MacBooks appeared in every neighborhood Starbucks, accompanied by “ear buds” attached to a hidden iPod blasting tunes silently in the ears of college students and white-collar professionals alike. It was a brand revolution to the masses that continues to this day. The company continues to unleash its innovation with products like the MacBook Air and the oh-so-accessible iPad.

I am proud to be a long-time fan of Apple. I still love the brand and type this blog posting on my overly-used MacBook. Using it makes me salivate over that tricked out 15″ MacBook Pro I saw this weekend at my local Apple store. And even though I knew everything about the aluminum encased machine, I still listened to the “Genius Bar” brand ambassador give me the gospel on its speeds and feeds. I listened because I still can’t get enough of the brand and its products.

Great job Apple. Thanks for the memories. And thanks for helping me go places I never would have dreamed of back in 1992!

But now I must accept the fact that you’re no longer just “my brand.”  You’re “our” brand!

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how tough it can be to succeed without others. As a small brand marketing agency owner, I am very hands-on with most of the business. But I know I must lean on others who possess strengths I do not and leverage their experience to deliver a better product for my clients. From a designer who has a better eye than I, to a young programmer who knocks out website code in half the time it takes me, I need what people have to offer. It pays huge dividends!

It’s been true in other areas of my life too. I need others to make it! Their wisdom is invaluable. I also hope to be a blessing to other people; helping them fulfill what they were born to do with their lives.

One key part of my life that I have been especially thankful for this week is having a mentor in business. My mentor, Bill Byrd, has been a true gift from God and I am thankful for his advice, encouragement and wisdom. I encourage everyone to find someone like him, no matter what your line of work or calling.  I’ll tell you a little more about him, but first let me tell you how this relationship came about.

My career, and entire life for that matter, has been a path of self-reliance and individualistic focus on success. I was an only child raised by a single mom, without a lot of key people pouring into my life. So, I learned to do it “my way.”

I lived life with a success-oriented focus, but I wanting to do it ALL on my own. It’s all I knew. After I committed my life to God, I turned to Him for help but it still took me years to realize that most of the time He uses other people to help us.

So, back to the mentor thing. As my wife and I prepared to move away from Fort Worth on a leg of the “marketing career success tour” back in 2003, I remembered wondering if there was anyone in the city who would mentor me; show me a different way to succeed. I literally prayed for God to send me a Christian businessman with experience to share. But until then, I’d keep moving forward on my own.

Flash forward seven years, after moving back to Fort Worth and about a year after starting Circle H Branding Company. I learned my client Dr. Brian Byrd’s father was an entrepreneur who had founded many businesses. After reading about him, I learned he hosted a national radio show called Sweet Success Radio (www.sweetsuccessradio.com), geared toward small business owners and entrepreneurial spirits. Dr. Byrd recommended I get on his dad’s show and tell my story. And I did.

The show appearance was a great experience. What it really did was make me want to learn from this man. So, I began periodically getting to meet him for lunch…sometimes doing a little business, but mainly he shared solid advice. But most importantly to me…he was a cheerleader. Meeting with him has been a faith building series of divine appointments! Though he is not an advertising guy, Bill Byrd has helped me believe that I can actually grow my advertising business and achieve something special. He’s provided hope when I had none of my own. And I’m grateful.

This experience has inspired me to do the same for others. Bill’s example of mentoring in a natural, life-giving way has again set me on a course of casting vision for what’s possible for others. AND when you mentor others it fuels your own belief in what you can achieve. Very cool concept.

So, give it a shot. Look for someone you can share your wisdom or experience with. And then look for someone who can do the same for you.

Also, if you are a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur, go check out past archives of Bill’s show, Sweet Success Radio, at www.sweetsuccessradio.com. You’ll also find audio podcasts and blog postings from Bill, in addition to real encouragement to pursue your dreams of success.

Talk to you next time.

The blog’s entitled BRANDED…because I am a brand marketer and I intend to talk shop, but it is also an expression of a life that’s “branded” by Jesus Christ. I am a Christian who has been changed by the love of Jesus and I’m identified with Him forever. I’m branded! Also, I have served primarily in the secular marketplace for my entire career and those experiences provide my reference point for talking marketing and advertising.

I absolutely love to build brands and deliver BIG IDEAS for companies that break through and connect with consumers. I have served in leadership roles with Fortune 500 companies and leading agencies like RadioShack, JCPenney, Ross Dress for Less and DDB Needham Chicago. I also have enjoyed the excitement of helping develop fashion retail marketing programs for the Academy Awards, managing huge television campaigns, leading product and brand launches, developing experiential marketing programs with the likes of the Rolling Stones, and building consumer promotions with sports leagues like the NFL, NASCAR and Major League Soccer.

Despite the fulfillment from these experiences, nothing has been as exciting and challenging as being called to go out on my own and manage my own business. For me it has been a real act of faith. I had grown accustomed to having the “stability” of the big corporate job. My ego had been fed by it (probably too much) and I enjoyed the perks. But like many professionals have experienced in recent years, I saw the reality that there is no sure thing. No absolutely stable company that I can plan to retire with. Not anymore. But the Lord still provides.

In fact, I started Circle H Branding Company after experiencing my first layoff in July 2009. I always had a dream to go out on my own, but circumstances finally pushed me to take action. I have been blessed to work with great brands like Cook Children’s Health System, Texas Hospice, Peace of Paper, and other clients who have given me a chance.

What you will get from this blog are my thoughts on the cool new ad campaign, latest marketing technology that I am enamored with, or how I deal with the tension of being consistent in my Christian walk while dealing with the highs and lows of the industry. I am flexible, and I hope you are too. I will not “preach at you” or beat you over the head with my beliefs. I just want to be transparent and “real.” That means you can be too.

I also don’t want to talk to myself. I need you to join the conversation. I look forward to hearing from friends and clients, AND I am excited to get to know new friends like you. Talk to you soon!

Tim Hewitt
tim.hewitt@circlehbranding.com
www.circlehbranding.com