marketing consultants for associations and other nonprofit organizations

FREE MARKETING RESOURCES

FREE MARKETING ARTICLES

Creating Brand Appeal: Steps to Crafting and Implementing a New Brand Identity

By John Gunn, CEO, John Gunn Marketing Partners

As the voice of your current and future members, market research tells you about their interests, wants, needs, perceptions, and opinions. It helps you better understand the expectations of your stakeholders – their ratings of how well you hit the mark and their impressions of your competition.

Market research can also support the concept development and design of a compelling brand image and message by helping you better understand your association's place within the context of a larger marketplace of buyers and sellers. Ask yourself – Based on what we know from our customers, what's missing in our marketplace? Which customer demands and requirements remain unmet? What unique capabilities and qualifications do we possess? Where do our customers turn for similar information, services, and benefits? How do we compare? Which opportunities are we best positioned to pursue?

Then test your assumptions with the people who determine your success – your stakeholders – to help you craft an appropriate message and graphic reinforcement. Ask your key stakeholders: What are the top three benefits you derive from your involvement with the association? What two words best describe our association as it is today? What two words describe it as you hope it becomes in the future? What single color best exemplifies your opinion of the association as it is today and why? What color best represents what you want the association to become and why?

From here, you're likely to have some good parameters for graphic elements and verbiage that translates into a new and compelling organizational tagline – a predominant and overarching message or slogan. Then, roll up your sleeves, look around, and begin a far-reaching and consistent approach to implementation, including new logos and letterhead, redesigns of newsletters, magazines, Web sites, press kits, product promotions, on-site conference signage and decor, office interior reception spaces, and even governance board books.

Develop strategies and materials to bring Chapters onboard to create a unified and consistently communicated brand image. Use launch timing to your advantage – a grand release at your annual meeting or a gradual approach as you deplete supplies and gain additional resources.

Look too, at organizational behaviors or processes that reinforce or destroy the image you're working to create. For example, if your primary message relates to excellent service, are there clearly stated guidelines on response times to member or customer inquires? How does staff answer the phone and respond to e-mail. Are your voice-mail systems intuitive and convenient for customers? What are the steps to placing an order or conducting other business with your association by phone, fax, and Web. What changes are needed to create an easy, efficient, and pleasurable exchange?

Here are a few ways to determine when you might be in trouble.

No substantive and statistically rigorous membership research exists from the past five years.
Your database does not currently capture demographics and psychographics that are compatible with sales histories.
Marketing collateral from different divisions and products look as if they are from entirely different associations. Inconsistent graphic designs are employed and communications lack a unified and compelling message.
Members have a hard time articulating what it is your association stands for and/or there is no consensus around the purpose of your association.
You've witnessed an increase in competition - either direct competitors or providers of services that might be viewed as substitutes or alternatives to your own.
Staff use numerous variations of your association's logo and letterhead. Usage guidelines and templates do not exist.

Your brand image–the sum of all impressions experienced by your members and customers when they see your acronym or hear your name. Make sure it communicates the image you want to achieve.

John Gunn is the CEO of John Gunn Marketing Partners, LLC,
specialists in marketing assessments, research, strategy and plans for associations. For more information, please contact the author at (703) 299-0774, jg@GunnMarketingPartners.com

For information about reprinting this article, please contact cr@gunnmarketingpartners.com.

back to articles

Home | Services | About | Contact
Resources | Marketing Links

John Gunn Marketing Partners, LLC
Alexandria, Virginia
Phone: (703) 299-0774 Fax: (703) 299-1106
info@GunnMarketingPartners.com