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Marketing and Brand Positioning
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Telco brand image management is a relatively
new area for many managers. For
most telco managers, the concepts of brand management and mass market advertising
(television, radio, billboards, etc) were one and the same. Spending on advertising
was associated with:
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Developing a positive image in the eyes of regulators and the public
in general, or
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Driving large numbers of customers into the sales channels to boost headcount
It is only now, as telco markets mature,
that managers are beginning to understand the concepts of:
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Brand equity
Investment made in the brand and the revenue "lift" it can generate
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Brand positioning
Creation and maintenance of a consistent and comprehensive brand image that serves
as a foundation for all marketing, sales, and customer service activities
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Brand management
The formal discipline associated with maintenance and leveraging of that brand investment
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Telco Brand Management
- Lessons Learned the Hard Way
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Many managers are only slowly coming to
realize exactly how much power, flexibility, and leverage a good brand management
program can provide. They are also learning first hand just how
disastrous a lackadaisical and inconsistently executed program can be. Too many
telcos are finding themselves the victims of:
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Rapidly prepared and executed mass market campaigns that have a short
term impact, but created strong and hard to erase images in the minds of the consumer
of what the telco represents in the market place
(Are you the low cost provider? The quality provider? Are you mercenary or friendly?)
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Incredible erosion of their brand position and brand equity based caused
by activities within their own companies
(Different advertising campaigns, promotions, and customer service policies create
conflicting and contradictory messages that confuse and irritate customers and erode
their confidence and mindshare)
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Market confusion and chaos in place of consolidation and reinforcement
of your image in the minds of consumers
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The Basics of Brand
Equity Management
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What many organizations need is a quick refresher course in the basics
of brand management principles. The entire organization must understand the
value (both hard and soft values) that good brand management can provide, such as:
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Market momentum
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Automatic and no-cost "lift" behind every program, campaign,
or policy that is initiated
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An opening for premium pricing avenues
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A hedge against customer defection and churn
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Increase in customer affinity and communicativeness
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Improved willingness on the part of the customer to "work with"
the provider
In addition to these market benefits
are innumerable internal benefits, including:
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Clarification of internal corporate identity, goals, and objectives
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Establishment of shared organizational visions and values
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Solidification of team activities
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's Unique Approach
to Brand Management
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One of the easiest and best ways to improve sales, marketing, and churn
management activities is to revisit
and enhance your current brand management activities. Continued interest and investment
in brand position (figuring out ways to get better leverage from existing brand
management activities, or deciding that a complete brand image facelift is in order)
will provide you with a payback many times more than what you put into it.
's approach to telco brand management
is unique for a number of reasons:
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First, our brand management focus and expertise is in the telecommunications
industry. While generic brand management expertise has value, it often fails to
serve the special needs of telcos. Telecommunications has a unique history, and
the relationship between regulators, markets, customers, and providers is a unique
and unconventional one.
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Second, our approach is based on practical application and measurement
of brand equity as it applies to telco sales, market position, market share, and
customer loyalty. You won't see us win many awards for "artistic" campaigns,
but you will be able to understand how the branding activity relates to how the
entire business is running.
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Third, our approach integrates brand management into the other key disciplines
(strategy, customer intelligence, product, promotion, and channel). Our goal is
leverage, first and foremost.
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Brand Management
Value Propositions
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can help you generate, evaluate, and revitalize a brand image
and a brand management strategy that gets the results you are looking for. Brand
management investments will yield benefits for you in many areas including:
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Better, clearer, and more compelling market position and presence
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Improved market awareness (top of mind)
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Improved market vision and focus (for customers, channels, and employees)
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Better understanding of your current market position, power, and capabilities
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Better understanding of you options for improving those key areas
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Specific recommendations for brand image rejuvenation or recreation
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Better integration and leveraging of brand image throughout the rest
of the organization's customer value management activities
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Improved "lift" from execution of campaigns enhanced with brand
image components
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Brand
Management Offerings
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provides a wide range of offerings and services in support of
your telco brand management activities. These offerings include:
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Brand audit and analysis
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Brand management and development
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Creation and optimization of your brand management operations and organization
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Creation of a brand management roadmap
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Integration of brand image into all customer value management activities
(sales, marketing, customer service, SLA, channels, etc)
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