In a Word

In a word, how do people describe your company? In a word how does your consumer describe what he/she thinks about your company? If you want to build a brand, you must focus your branding efforts on owning a word. You must own a word that no other company in your sector owns. Sounds difficult doesn't it?

I am going to list some successful companies here and I want you to think of a word that you associate with that company:

Mercedes Volvo Kleenex Band-Aid

Mercedes - prestige
Volvo - safety
Kleenex - tissue
Band-Aid - adhesive bandage

Did you think of these words? By keeping a singular focus each of these companies (in the beginning at least) stayed focused on one thing or idea only.

Obviously it is simple to take over a word category if you are the first on the block with a given product/service, but what if you aren't? What do you do then? Simply you create a new category by narrowing your focus. This is exactly what Federal Express did when they jumped on the delivery scene. In the early seventies, the company struggled in the delivery business. What changed for Federal Express? They changed their focus. They narrowed their mission significantly to focus on overnight delivery only. Remember the old commercials, "When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight?"

There are a million examples in every business sector where this is applicable. Words create worlds and words are the key to successful branding. So often companies try and come up with a list of attributes or words they want to be associated with their company but it would serve them better to throw that list out completely. We (the consumer) cannot possibly associate all these words with your company or brand. To get into the minds of consumers, you have to narrow your focus. You have to sacrifice. We have to minimize the essence of your brand to one single idea or attribute and then build around it. But make sure it is an attribute that no one else owns in your category.

How do you build around your word? Start with your people. Start with your employees and make everything you do focused on that one attribute. Sounds too simple. It is not simple at all as maintaining your focus on that one single attribute is often difficult. Once you establish in the minds of your employees and consumers that you are the "overnight provider of delivery services" you are certainly welcome to broaden your market but do not make the mistake of trying to broaden your brand. Stay true to your word.

The question is not what percentage of an existing market can your brand achieve, but how large a market can your brand create by streamlining its focus and owning a word in the minds of your consumers, vendors and employees.