Of the multitude of books you see on branding, most have a very big problem - they are written by people with multi-million dollar marketing budgets. People who think nothing of wasting 2.5 million on a 30 second Television spot during the Super Bowl (this year's cost!) that no one remembers anything the next day!
At my golf marketing seminars, I don't talk a lot about branding, because it's just NOT as high on the food chain as most ad agencies or designers would have you believe. Most companies I deal with are FAR more concerned with actually making money than building a brand. Having said that, the concept of branding should not be ignored, and if you follow a few simple rules, your brand can be easily enhanced without the need for billion dollar budgets.
1. Consistent use of name. Before I start branding any name, I'd ask myself, "is it really a good name. Is it unique?" You can change; I changed my company's name twice before getting it right with Legendary Marketing!
2. Consistent use of your logo. I was at a club recently that had seven totally different logos on its golf hats, golf shirts and golf balls. Perhaps the buyer is related to Sybil? (The woman with split personalities.) Anyway, first make sure the logo defines who you are, looks good on a ball and is desirable. THINK Greg Norman's SHARK, AMAZING! Not Arnie's umbrella. I mean no disrespect to the King, but was that even a decent idea in 1960?
3. Consistent use of your colors. Legendary Marketing uses orange and black and orange! The Raiders are black and silver, English sports cars are racing green, Ferraris are red, Ping Tour bags are white. What's your club's color?
4. Consistent use of your Unique Selling Proposition. Most clubs simply don't have a Unique Selling Proposition, and that is a very big mistake. Not having one lessens the power of your brand and every piece of marketing you do by 300% or more in customer recall!
For Example, Garland is Michigan's Most Beautiful Golf Resort, is a strong, simple and versatile USP! FedEx owns overnight; Dave Pelz owns the short game. Juliette Falls Golf Community owns Florida Golf Resort. Legendary Golf Management is the the world's leader in golf management. What Unique Selling Proposition does your operation own?
5. Consistent message. I am constantly amazed by the number of clubs and equipment companies that change their message from year to year. In fact, I recently talked to a club owner who proudly showed me 22 different ads he ran the previous year all with different headlines and tag lines. Testing is a good idea, but change for the sake of Variety is not!
6. Consistent feel and look. You can't say you are the most beautiful resort in Michigan and run your ads in black and white on 20 lb. bond. Beauty calls for high gloss and thick paper. Make the look and feel of your collateral match the specific location, demographics and facilities you offer.
7. Consistent exposure. One of the reasons I focus more efforts on results than brand is that building a real brand in any market takes mucho time, money and exposure. If your brand is not out there constantly in a big way, it won't stick. You need ongoing PR and media presence of some kind.
8. Consistent delivery of your promise. Your brand has to be backed by the delivery of the implied promise. You can not promise the best greens in city and then have them covered with fungus when players arrive.
9. Consistent and Quality customer contact. To many golf clubs blast everyone in their database a with a poor discount offer. High end resorts usually specialize in bland John Doe 'return to see us' letters. Both are contact...neither is quality content.
10. Consistent use of viral tools to spread the word. Perhaps the most overlooked way to build your brand is to provide your frontline employees and customers with the tools to help spread your brand for you. Things like yardage books, bag tags, and audio CDs packed full of Great Golf Stories For Your Drive Home. Reinforce the brand long after a player has left your property.
Andrew Wood is the world's leading expert on golf related marketing. He is the author of over 20 books including Cunningly Clever Marketing, his newly released small business marketing book. Andrew speaks worldwide on sales and marketing topics. He is the CEO of multiple golf marketing companies including Legendary Golf Management Company.
Orignal From: Ten Proven Methods to Build Your Brand
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