Top Ten Reasons Why You're not a Leading Brand

The difficult economic conditions and the world events we are experiencing can be both a burden and an opportunity. This is the time you have been waiting for to step forward and unleash your potential.

As we continue to talk about social media and leading brands; we continue to see that marketers are enamored with shiny objects; free has become a vehicle to do more of the same; and we are fast approaching the end of the year, I wanted to share with you the top ten reason why you're not a leading brand:

(1) you don't listen aggressively

Some thoughts: are you making the customer in front of you the most important person at that moment? Do you maintain confidentiality? Do you hold off on reacting to negative feedback and instead communicate an action plan to address it?

(2) you don't communicate purpose and meaning

In much of my research, I am finding that these should be the underpinnings of a valuable strategy both with employees and with customers. Who cares when you start a blog, or join Twitter, if you don't have a plan on purpose and meaning? This will also help with building a community and letting people make a difference. Drop the fluff, go for the real stuff.

(3) you don't lead by example

Ask yourself: do you set the tone for the industry? Do you demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm? Are you doing everything you are asking your customers and employees to do? We demonstrate our truest colors and values in difficult times. Your actions will follow you long after the troubles are gone.

(4) you don't take calculated risks

It's no secret that we become even more conservative in difficult times. You should capitalize on the lack of resources to become more focused and efficient, yes, but also by experimenting a little. Times of chaos are ripe with opportunities for creativity and innovation. Prepare for when things pick up.

(5) you don't look for results, just go for the power play

Instead, work in the opposite direction. Use your power to highlight others and become more open to new ideas, regardless of where they come from. With the movements in mobility, open content and portability, why should we stay stuck with hierarchies? The growth seems to be horizontal, especially with social media.

(6) you don't create a climate of trust

If employees and customers are constantly looking over their shoulder, well... so do the right thing for your people and for the organization. Be consistent. It's tempting to want to change everything, because it was "not invented here". That is really bad for continuing to deliver on consistency in experience.

(7) you're overly critical of others

It's good to be skeptical, to require the official story to explain itself. However, in all that negativity as you compete, you may be missing your own story. What makes you different, reliable, interesting, worth buying - you pick an adjective.

(8) you don't rally around a common goal

Do you help increase contacts between employees, for example? Too many companies are still very much organized in silos internally and continue to project that split externally. Unity is important, and so is holding everyone to the same high standards.

(9) you don't improve people's lives

Connection with purpose is important. You can be a brilliant blogger with dozens of fast comments and discussions wherever you go - what have you done to improve someone's life today? I think it's time to put away those measuring sticks for a moment and develop different, private metrics. What do you think?

(10) you don't have a sense of humor

I throw this in for good measure. You should not take yourself too seriously. Laughing is good for your health and helps with the human side of things. Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.

The marketplace is flooded with "me, me, me" brands who don't lead because leadership is not about talking, it's about doing. It requires commitment and hard work to stay the course - just like blogging and social media do. 

Hard economic times call for focused boldness and kind leadership. Can your brand do it?

© 2006-2009 Valeria Maltoni. All rights reserved.

Comments

[Joy-Mari]

It's amazing, really. Success comes from being human, humble and motivated.

[Leigh Duncan-Durst]

Nice points -- especially resonated with the bit about being critical... it's the easy way out.

I recently heard a Forrester analyst say that while they've done TONS of research on factors that drive customer loyalty -- they keep walking away with one fact: that the #1 indicator of customer loyalty is "Customer Advocacy" that is, the impression that the company does what is right for it's customers, not just what's right for the business.

:-)

[Peter Korchnak]

"Aggressive listening" takes active listening to the next level. It does take saying things a notch more forcefully to get the point across.

"Sense of humor" is utterly non-controversial, even duh-like, and yet so hard to accomplish. So few examples out there to follow.

Way to go, Valeria, thanks for these reminders on human marketing.

[Adriana]

Excellent list. Right on the money.

[Franklin Bishop]

"you don't create a climate of trust"

Trust is everything. Without it you will always fail.

[Jesse Liebman]

I think taking calculated risks contributes the most of brands success and being a leader. For example ESPN decided to be as innovative and forward thinking in their branding as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft by embracing their customers with web 2.0 tools and social media.

http://www.jesseliebman.com/2008/12/17/blue-42-set-connect

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Joy-Mari - never underestimate the power of being real.

@Leigh - being critical is easy. Being kind is the hard part, but it's the winning proposition, especially when it comes to trust and credibility. I would rather it be more than an impression of doing right by the customer, but that is a good start.

@Peter - I suspect somewhere in there the doubt is that marketing may not be so human all the time?

@Adriana - thank you.

@Franklin - I wrote a post on trust a couple of days ago. It is important indeed.

@Jesse - thank you for sharing the link, I'll take a look. I don't buy cable TV, not time to watch anyway, but I imagine that a niche brand like ESPN can really take things to the next level with its fans.

[Jeremy Meyers]

Hey Valeria-

Good points as usual. Kind of unusual to me that you phrased this in the negative. I think companies (at least the ones I work with) may respond better to this information if its not in the form of "this is why you suck"

It also strikes me how many of these are good rules to live by as an individual, not just as a business. Marketing/Social Media and psychology are truly linked on a fundamental level.

[Valeria Maltoni]

We tend to (alas) be more tuned into what we don't do than what we do - we take that for granted. Companies will do something often only when pressed and when in decline. Twenty years of experience taught me that.

We're in the conversation age, humans are going back to want to deal with humans - so it makes sense for organizations (who, in case anyone noticed are made of people) walk more of the talk than just saying: we value our people...

[Nathan Ketsdever]

One of the best posts of the year. Great vision. Great sense of where we are and where we need to be.

[bg]

Also helps to have a great product. Without that, all else is moot. ;-p

[John Gerzema]

This list does a brilliant job of identifying tactics that sit within the general need for brands to embrace authenticity and openness, as opposed to a beauty and control. The conversational age changes everything, as it is the thought not the end result that consumer want to connect with most. The challenge of acknowledging that your consumers know something about your product that you do not is a profound one for brands and marketers alike, but that conversation is your product and your path forward.

[Joy-Mari]

Hi, Jeremy.

I like Valeria's approach. The headline draws you in while scrolling through your RSS Feed reader and you *want* to know exactly what you could be doing wrong.

[Tom Allinder]

This is spot on! Too many "professional people" are on an island of their own creation. Being a real person in this day and age becomes more important every day. Transparency, honesty, openness along with some humor goes a long way!

[Phoebe Legere]

What have you done for someone today is my favorite line!

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Nathan - thank you, you are very kind.

@bg - new marketing is about having a product and service your customers want.

@John - When I worked in risk management consulting we used to say that our product was a relationship. Letting go of that control we think we have on the product is going to take time. Those who do, are already reaping the benefits.

@Joy-Mari - when I write I gage my own responses to writing and yup, we do respond more to what we think we are not doing.

@Tom - thank you. Yes, the image of being on an island of your own. Even when you understand the issues academically, there is still a jump in quality you need to make to feel them as your customers do.

[Nina East]

Very well said! I'm always thrilled when I find entrepreneurs with integrity and genuine caring for others.
Much appreciated!