Your Content, Their Content & the Brand

Thanks to Kenneth Weiss, author of the new book, Slightware – The Next Great Threat to Brands, for this guest Junta42 blog post. Ken offers some interesting thoughts on content and the customer conversation.  Take a read!

Companies have traditionally attempted to control the dialogue and vernacular around their brands. The correct words, and the specific tonality were carefully chosen to explain, position and differentiate brands. Packaging, advertising, public relations and all types of customer communications were continuously reviewed. Being “on brand” was paramount. Being “slightly off brand” was never allowed. While this is still the intent, it is not always possible. Why?  Because too many people have too much to say about the brand and they have the tools to do it!

So how do companies leverage the power of content while continuing to be a steward of the brand? It’s not easy.

Your Content

Almost everyone within an organization is creating content these days. Sales people make PowerPoints. Marketers write posts for company bogs. Customer service teams publish documents to the web. The CEO gives speeches to local organizations. Human resource teams write company overviews for job boards. Engineers create white papers. Other employees post videos and images. Is it possible to route all of these pieces of communication through a central brand manager? Obviously, no. Does this mean that they can all put their own spin on the brand? Yes, they can. No, they shouldn’t.

How to make it work:
Brand guidelines and brand training need to be pushed beyond the walls of the marketing department to every corner of the organization. Documentation needs to include more than just logo guidelines. It needs to be a complete, holistic explanation of the total brand. Living and delivering the brand needs to be an ongoing activity. Not something that happens once a year or during orientation.

Their Content

Customers, writers, editors and experts are talking about your brand.  This can include reviews on other sites, or reviews on your own site. But the content goes far beyond these simple sentences and paragraphs.  Brand mentions will turn up in Tweets, comments on posts, YouTube videos and even in the content of other sites. Do you think all of this dialogue is using the endorsed, approved words and tonality? No, of course not. Is it all positive? No, again. It is IMPORTANT because it shows that people are engaged and compelled even if it is not always HELPFUL.

How to make it work:
Develop your editorial and legal process around content monitoring and participation. How will the company react if a person discusses using the product incorrectly versus using the product in a way that could be dangerous? How will the company react if the person is using the product in the proper way, but just doesn’t like it? 

Be ready to offer content. If a person has a question, needs a how-to, or wants to move from being a novice user to an advanced user, what content do you have to offer?

Respect the balance of power. Brands need to show more respect to the customer than ever. The old adage “The customer is always right” needs to be changed to: “The customer is always heard.” Not heard and dismissed – heard and listened to.

Getting it Right

Strong brands will always have an advantage when it comes to awareness, consideration and purchase intent. Content, both company generated and community generated is an asset to any business.  It can be an invaluable part of building a brand through two-way discussion rather than traditional one-way delivery.

Kenneth J. Weiss is Director of E-Commerce for Hoover and author of the new book, Slightware – The Next Great Threat to Brands.  Download the first chapter for free at www.Slightware.com.

Comments

[Lilly Ferrick]

You're right. You cannot have control over everything about your brand. One of the best things a company can do for your brand is to put things in place that ensure your brand is established internally first. If the 10 people at your company say 10 different things about your company, things are already out of control.

[Team The Rise To The Top]

Building a strong brand is important, thanks for posting this to help people strengthen their brand and to always respect the balance of power by listening to their customers.

[Rumah Dijual]

Really, brand awareness is the most valuable asset for a corporation. Yet It's hard to build it and need long time and consistent effort. I like the term "building a brand through two way discussion". Thank you for the precious insight.

[ldii]

I know, strong brand image is important for marketing success. We should be careful in building people perception about our product/company.