 | 13 Oct 06 |
I came across this article the other day. I’m not sure if it’s okay or not for me to cut and paste it here, but since all credit is given I’ll take my chances. Anyhoo you can imagine my interest in this article, being not only an author who believes in branding but a veteran business owner who believes as well. IMHO branding is critical. My author brand is short, and to the point. Hot cops.
All boiled down that’s what I write. I don’t need to go into any more description. Hot cops are well, hot cops, that sums it all up in a nutshell. And I consider myself damn lucky to have such a clean, distinct brand.
As you read the article think of yourself as the company, which in effect you are. Karin Tabke in this case is in the business of writing hot cop stories. Every one of these points can be taken to task in our business. Read on and tell me what you think. I have a few comments and questions at the end of the article.
*****
Four Elements of a Winning Brand
By Kim T. Gordon
from Entreprenuer.com
When it comes to your image, are you hitting hard or striking out? Cover all your bases with these four critical elements of a winning brand.
What instantly springs to mind when customers hear your company name? If you’re uncertain–or even worse, stuck with a less-than-stellar image–it’s time to give your brand an overhaul. It’s no coincidence that industry leaders in every category from soft drinks to spas toil endlessly to create some of the world’s most recognized brands. But it doesn’t have to cost millions or take years to put your company’s branding efforts on track. Just follow these four guidelines to create a winning brand image.
1. Differentiate your brand. Branding is all about sending a strong and consistent message. Every time a prospect or customer has contact with your company, whether it’s by visiting your website or seeing a print ad, he or she has a branding experience. Fine-tuning your brand image is particularly critical if your business is in a highly competitive product or service arena–your brand will separate your company from the pack.
If it’s been a while since you performed a competitive analysis, make time to take this important step in realigning your brand. Clip all your competitors’ ads, review their PR coverage, research them online, and buy their products and services. Then decide what makes your product or service different. It’s this point of differentiation that allows you to create an image that sticks in customers’ minds.
2. Promise value. Once you know what separates your product or service from its competitors, you can redefine your brand message so that it resonates with your best prospects. How well do you know and understand them? Researching and creating an accurate portrait of your targeted prospects is essential to focusing your branding efforts. Doing so will help you reach the audience that will be most receptive to the unique qualities of your products and services. Trying to be all things to all people results in a diluted and weak brand, whereas differentiation based on what your unique customers want, need and value most will result in strong branding and sales.
What does your product or service deliver that’s valued most by your best customers? If you’re unsure, put “listening posts” in place–from online message boards to printed satisfaction surveys–that monitor customers’ perceptions of your brand and uncover unmet needs.
3. Be a market leader. Delivering on this value proposition over the long term not only means your company will live up to its branding efforts, but it will also make you a marketplace leader. And performing like a leader means keeping your promises. Today, customers consider the “ownership experience” prior to making many purchases. They look at reviews, read in-depth information and pay attention to word-of-mouth in order to feel confident that the purchase and post-purchase experiences will live up to the expectations raised by brand marketing campaigns. Nothing torpedoes branding efforts faster than failing to live up to marketing claims. To be a true leader in your market niche, focus on improving your customers’ experiences and interactions with your company.
4. Integrate your messages. Every interaction a customer has with your brand must be uniform across all marketing channels. How consistently is your brand’s message communicated? Do the messages of your various marketing programs conflict? For example, your online marketing–from website content to e-mail solicitations–should be fully integrated with your offline efforts, carrying a single, clear branding message and related design elements throughout.
To ensure your branding tuneup is a success, audit all your company’s current marketing communications. Pay particular attention to sales tools, as these tend to become mismatched and disconnected from other marketing efforts over time. Realign them with your company’s marketing tools and campaigns to create a stronger brand image.
*****Makes a lot of sense to me. So, for those of you writing, do you give your brand consideration? Do you have one and does it personify you? And for those of you who are readers, what brand comes to mind when you think of your favorite author?
A Cop’s Wife Writes the Cop’s Life:
Award winning author, Karin Tabke isn’t just another author with steamy stories to tell, but a cop’s wife who has “seen it all and heard it all.” Some of the hottest stories come from behind the blue wall of law enforcement rather than from in front. Married to a street cop, now retired, Karin is intimate with both and proves it with her sizzling tales and hot cops. Not only are her cops hot, but so are her sexy knights. Karin’s Blood Sword Legacy series is a must read for anyone who loves tales of yore when men were men and women were women, and love did conqueror all!
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This is a great article, and it shows how close writing is with any other business. Our books are a product.
I listened to 2 terrific branding workshops on the Atlanta CDs, by Vicki Lewis Thompson and Stephanie Bond. My wip is a women’s fiction, and it’s been harder to write than my usual romance. Halfway through I realized my brand is quirky characters, whether it’s romance or WF, so I let myself go, and now it’s easier to write. More fun too!
by Edie Ramer October 13th, 2006 at 6:55 amHaven’t found my brand yet. I’m a W.I.P. LOL
by Amanda October 13th, 2006 at 8:02 amMy husband came up with my brand after he read my upcoming release DELICIOUS. He said, “It’s smart, sexy, and funny, just like you.”
See why I keep him around?
by Jami Alden October 13th, 2006 at 8:31 amSo my brand is “smart, sexy, romance.” I left out the funny, because the humor in my books tends to be a little more of dry, snarky variety, and I don’t necessarily classify my books as romantic comedies.
Edie, your chcaracters are you strength, what would your tag be? Quirky characters who…?
by Karin October 13th, 2006 at 8:44 amAmanda, wip is good.
Jami, you snarky? Nooooooooooooo…
Wow, interesting question to a reader Karin. And one not easy to answer. Most of my all time favorites are long past. My new favorites are just fresh into the market, and only one is standing the test of time.
The one thing they all have is the ability to suspend my reality and place me squarely in their world, despite their genre. They have vision and a comfortable, one on one voice. Jane Austin, J.R.R. Tolkien, Tom Clancy, Ray Bradbury. All my favorites. Four entirely different genre. Four entirely different brands. Four masters.
by Cele October 13th, 2006 at 8:45 amOnce upon a time, I was one of those terribly against using multiple names for multiple genres.
Now, I’ve found that my books fall in 2 categories, each with its own theme, style and feel, I’m rethinking the whole thing. And the branding question is one of the things I’ll need to keep in mind when I come up with a pseudonym, because I believe that the name on your book does matter.
That said, whilst I’m thinking about it, I’m also a WIP like Amanda.
by May October 13th, 2006 at 10:44 amGreat article!
I’m a WIP, too. My protagonist is a female kick-ass ex-cop. Not sure what brand that would be!
by Joyce Tremel October 13th, 2006 at 11:24 amI’ve been trying to figure it out for awhile now. I love the theme Amanda found in my books (no man/woman is an island–love that Amanda!!!) but I don’t know about a brand. I took two branding classes and still haven’t figured it out (I didn’t like what the instructor came up with.) I think the hard part is to distinguish yourself from other writers. I can say I write in the same tone/genre as certain writers, but what makes me different? I think it’s still developing.
by Allison October 13th, 2006 at 12:21 pmKarin, the article is interesting. I’m kind of hoping my brand will shake out as I keep writing books. But truthfully, that’s being lazy. I’m taking a class a bit later this month that will probalby help me nail down my brand.
We need to be careful though, sometiemes brands can work against us.
by Jen October 13th, 2006 at 12:37 pmRomance for the history geek . . . ?
I have no freaken idea. I know that my books all seem to be stories about second chances, but I’m not sure that’s a “brand”. LOL!
by Kalen Hughes October 13th, 2006 at 1:26 pmBranding. Hmm. I guess my “brand” is Mormon Suspense fiction. In the last little while, with all the attention on the Mormon world, it has worked to my advantage….
by Natalie October 13th, 2006 at 2:36 pmInteresting, ladies. You WIP’s need to be thinking brand. Jen, your statement about a brand working against us intrigued me. Example please?
by Karin October 13th, 2006 at 4:41 pmI have a medieval that is on the verge of being contracted and I know I’m going to have to go with a nome de plume. and so begins another branding quest.
Okay, y’all know I am slammed with revisions when I forgo my son’s football game tonight. argh! It’s killing me too, they are playing De La Salle the number one ranked high scholl football team in the COUNTRY!
Oh, and GOOD GIRL GONE BAD and Cosmo are at news stands near you.
Karin, for the most part, branding is good. A couple examples where it can work against us:
1) Want to write something outside our brand–keep in mind that branding isn’t just for reader identification, but the buyers for the chain stores can be aware of a brand too. So if they think the author’s new book is “off brand” they might order less copies. But then again, if the author is a strong enough seller, the author’s name carries them, not the “brand.”
2) If for reasons out of the author’s control, the first couple books don’t do well, the “brand” might be perceived as a problem. Then the author has to start all over.
Those are the only ones I can think of at the moment. And they are really minor considerations as a good brand can do more good than harm for an author’s career. It’s just that “branding” is more of a PR term than anything, and publiciity is a tricky creature.
Karin, your brand is not going to work against you. It’s short, simple and there’s no real downside that I can see.
by Jen October 13th, 2006 at 6:05 pmAllison, your books are very distinctive, so you have to have a brand in there, somewhere! I just can’t put my finger on it. The Kill is two books down on my TBR list. Maybe I’ll be able to be more articulate, then. But maybe if you talk about it on your blog, your loyal blog readers will be able to identify it?
Or maybe Allison Brennan, the name, will soon be enough for a brand?
Karin, your brand is awesome.
I came up with the brand I want, before and during the time I came up with my idea. Problem is, I keep procrastinating writing the chancy-book to fulfill my NY publishing dream, to keep banging away for pennies a word. So, I don’t think I count, yet! Maybe someday…
Btw, have I mentioned to you guys that I’ve had a blast reading your posts, ever since I stumbled across your blog? You guys have one of the most consistently interesting blogs out there. It’s extraordinarily difficult to keep a blog interesting, day after day. Thanks!
by spyscribbler October 13th, 2006 at 7:46 pmGotcha, Jen. Makes perfect sense to me. I guess when your brand turns on you it’s time to change your name.
Spy, thanks for the kudos, and so glad you stumbled across us.
by Karin October 13th, 2006 at 8:22 pmand write that chancy-book!
Karin, you DIDN’T go to the GAME???? Girl, you ARE slammed!!
by Natalie October 13th, 2006 at 9:02 pmOh, and I just have to say, can you PUT THE WORD ASS IN A HEADER? Because if so, I have a LOT Of posts to make up for……
by Natalie October 13th, 2006 at 9:03 pmYes, Nat you can put ass in the header, in fact we can put whatever the hell we want in it.
by Karin October 13th, 2006 at 9:18 pmAs far as missing the game, I’ve been getting regular updates. We’re getting our asses kicked. 35-0 at the half. And it’s windy and cooooolllldd, not that weather has ever stopped me. I’ve sat in the pouring rain, and froze my ass off at the same time. I asked the kid if it was ok, his response, “It’s going to be ugly, and you shouldn’t see it.”
Good news is, hubby’s team kicked the other team’s ass 33-6. So we’re 1-1 in the Tabke house tonight.
For those of you who are stuck on defining your brand, maybe this will help. A brand isn’t simply what you sell. It is the image you project, hopefully your branding will be so successful that the consumer can identify you specifically from your competitors.
For example lets look at chain superstores. Take a moment and think of a Target ad. Print, or commercial. Next time you watch tv try and identify the commercial as being from Target. Chances are you will be pretty good at this because all of their advertising uses imagery in a way that gives of a specific and recogoniziable feeling.
Now try to do the same thing with Kmart. Not really as easy. All I can think of is the logo and the actual signage on the store I pass on the way to work. I’ve seen a Kmart ad, but it the imagery used in their advertising isn’t overly unique so it blends in.
When you think of a brand for you writing don’t be afraid to go beyond the super short because not everyone can be identified by just 2 words like Hot Cops. Maybe you need a descriptor that shows how you write. I’d say I write Snarky Teen Drama. Which is more than just a genre but to just say Teen Drama doesn’t get the whole feeling of what I am creating.
by jessiegirl October 14th, 2006 at 4:32 amThanks spy, I’m glad you like us over here at MSW! We have fun
. . .
Oh, to be my own brand! LOL. I know what I write, dark suspense drama/romantic crime thrillers/something along those veins. Whatever I write will have those same elements, whether I go historical, paranormal, or futuristic. So for me, I want to keep my name whatever I write. It sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t. We’ll see. I have enough ideas in my current “brand” that I don’t think I need to worry about it for awhile.
BTW, Karin, Christina Dodd writes under her name for both her contemporaries and historicals. I don’t think just because you’re writing in two genres you HAVE to have two names. Ask your agent.
by Allison Brennan October 14th, 2006 at 9:13 amJessiegirl, absolutely, snarky teen drama resonates while teen drama just falls flat.
by Karin October 14th, 2006 at 3:26 pmAnd yes, public image, website image, cover image, it’s all part of the brand.
A, I kinda want a new name…an alter ego…
Spy, I just remembered that in the original sales material my published had put “Thomas Harris meets Julie Garwood” as a quick “selling point” to show where my books would fit. While I have a relationship and there’s a love scene (or 2 or 3), the primary focus of the book is on the investigation/killer. Down the road I may get away from using police and FBI as my primary characters, though I enjoy them immensely. I have two books ideas where the heroine is not in law enforcement that I think would work.
Anyway, darn you Karin for making me think about this!
by Allison October 14th, 2006 at 3:46 pmbwhahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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