Are you killing your brand?
So…Here we are folks… Over the last few months, I have noticed something over, over and over again that I just can’t ignore. I mean I really just can’t take it one minute longer. So… in this PR rant, I feel compelled to discuss how people and small businesses kill their own brand. It is actually murder, to be clear.
I will set the scene for you all. You have your own company, you don’t really know what you are doing but you hire a PR professional, a reputable firm that has 15 years plus experience… ahem… maybe one like my own, Wunderlich Inc. You would think HEY, they must know a little about what they are talking about, I mean that is why you hire them, or us. Right?
When us PR people sit down and tell you that the product needs to be re-worked, the price lowered, your logo redesigned, you need a new photoshoot, your website needs a total overhaul, or your social media needs to be amped up…LISTEN UP because we know what will sell and what wont. We know what works. We are in the trenches with the editors, talking about what they want to write about, talking to the bloggers everyday about what interests them for their blog and talking to the producers about what they want to put on their segments. We are hanging with with the top influencers and celebrities daily. So trust us, we know it all or just about almost all.
LET ME BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER:
If I am telling you that you have a name that doesn’t relate to what you are actually selling, doesn’t emulate what you are trying to do or the clientele you are trying to go for, that it is unpronounceable, or seems just made up, silly and random – the customers you are trying to reach will probably think so too. Editors will not want want to embarrass themselves by promoting such a product or even relating their name to it. Bloggers will not want to write about and producers will not feature it.
If im telling you that every single editor that goes on the website wont stay on for more then 15 seconds cause its too sloppy and too hard to navigate and you are getting no traction because its worthless then you need to listen… Contrary to everyones belief, we do not just talk to hear our own voices. We are saying it for a reason. Trust me, I don’t want to have to stop pitching or scouting new business to tell a client this. It sucks, we know it! But we want to help because building brands is in our blood!
If I am telling you that you need a new photo shoot because your photo’s do not evoke emotion or tell the story of your brand or do nothing for you and that no one will look past the pictures when we pitch it do you think we are making this up? Most likely we ARE your customer and we read and watch the media YOU want to be in. Do you think the editors of Vogue or Allure want to feature a product that looks like it was photographed out of Kentucky, middle-of-no where.com (No Offense Kentucky) or taken on your cell phone and can not see ANY detail? No, they want GLAM, not to say Vogue is everyones dream placement, but for someone who Vogue is… You need to LOOK like Vogue. We tell you this because we want your product to look the best that it can…and sell. We want to make you MONEY! Hello! Don’t you want that too? AND.. Let’s really face it, you don’t make money, there’s only so long you will give US money.
If I am telling you that your social media needs an overhaul, specific strategy, targeted blogger outreach and buzz campaign and not having your 19 year old intern tweeting for you, LISTEN UP. Do you want to raise awareness and drive more traffic to your site?
Do you think we tell you this for our own benefit? NO! You are SABOTAGING yourself. Help me to help you. This is what we are here for, this is what we do, this is what we love.
We take clients on because we believe in the brand and we believe it can sell better with a tweak here or there, but without the client taking advice, there is only so much we can do. Look at Richard Branson, his key to success is that he hires the RIGHT people for the RIGHT positions so the job can get done RIGHT. He knows he is not an expert in all things but is a manager of great people and their outstanding resources and capabilities.
After all, why did you hire us? And lastly, guess who the first person to call us when their brand doesn’t make THE NEW YORK TIMES and THE TODAY SHOW declines to cover your brand. Shocking! Hate to say I told you so… but… I TOLD YOU SO!
Written by Gwen and the girls @ Wunderlich Inc, - in hopes that we’ve opened your eyes and appreciate all the things that all us PR people have to deal with everyday to make your brand famous…xoxoxo
