To your point, there are many proxies to measuring brand, but many are waiting to see it as UTM parameter against a specific campaign budget.
Measurement and attribution are still the largest issues in justifying and gaining support for investing in activities that may not lead to a direct response.
And most importantly, you have no business investing in brand or anything that isn’t a direct response if the compensation and measurement model isn’t aligned first.
In the words of Hiccup, from my son’s favorite movie, “How to Train your Dragon,” I will have to tell you, Sam, “you just gestured to all of me …”
Another great weekly Substack. I need to start writing a weekly one as well. You may have inspired me one too many times now ☺️
That said, this is an article I could have written, probably should have written, after 25 years of delivering Breakthrough Branding and Everclear Marketing for venture-backed tech companies.
But I never did, so shame on me 😉
I was just having this conversation with an entrepreneur friend of mine in Sea Cliff, New York on Long Island last night, how “trust” is the transfer layer that his event management software platform needs to confer.
And that’s what he is enabling at scale with his QR-code meeting booking, SMS delivery and e-mail address capture system for live events everywhere.
And I was explaining the sequence of events that follow a live conversation in a trade show setting, where his technology books a follow-up meeting in 30 seconds from the trade show floor instead of having sales reps collect business cards and follow-up a weekend or week later after they dig out of being away at a trade show in the first place.
But it’s the trust layer that’s key to his tech. Not the automation layer and tech stack itself.
1. Capture cell phone number
2. Automatically send next three available meeting dates
3. Text back 1, 2 or 3
4. Meeting booked
5. Provide e-mail to confirm calendar invitation
6. Send LinkedIn connection request
It’s pretty remarkable how it removes friction from the initial sales cycle and lowers the barriers to adoption.
I would add Al Ries to the positioning aspect of branding beyond David Aaker, who is a personal favorite of mine.
At any rate, I enjoyed your weekly article, this time on branding, and look forward to re-reading it a second time to be inspired even more.
The theory of building a brand is easy. The practice a whole lot more complicated
To your point, there are many proxies to measuring brand, but many are waiting to see it as UTM parameter against a specific campaign budget.
Measurement and attribution are still the largest issues in justifying and gaining support for investing in activities that may not lead to a direct response.
And most importantly, you have no business investing in brand or anything that isn’t a direct response if the compensation and measurement model isn’t aligned first.
In the words of Hiccup, from my son’s favorite movie, “How to Train your Dragon,” I will have to tell you, Sam, “you just gestured to all of me …”
Another great weekly Substack. I need to start writing a weekly one as well. You may have inspired me one too many times now ☺️
That said, this is an article I could have written, probably should have written, after 25 years of delivering Breakthrough Branding and Everclear Marketing for venture-backed tech companies.
But I never did, so shame on me 😉
I was just having this conversation with an entrepreneur friend of mine in Sea Cliff, New York on Long Island last night, how “trust” is the transfer layer that his event management software platform needs to confer.
And that’s what he is enabling at scale with his QR-code meeting booking, SMS delivery and e-mail address capture system for live events everywhere.
And I was explaining the sequence of events that follow a live conversation in a trade show setting, where his technology books a follow-up meeting in 30 seconds from the trade show floor instead of having sales reps collect business cards and follow-up a weekend or week later after they dig out of being away at a trade show in the first place.
But it’s the trust layer that’s key to his tech. Not the automation layer and tech stack itself.
1. Capture cell phone number
2. Automatically send next three available meeting dates
3. Text back 1, 2 or 3
4. Meeting booked
5. Provide e-mail to confirm calendar invitation
6. Send LinkedIn connection request
It’s pretty remarkable how it removes friction from the initial sales cycle and lowers the barriers to adoption.
I would add Al Ries to the positioning aspect of branding beyond David Aaker, who is a personal favorite of mine.
At any rate, I enjoyed your weekly article, this time on branding, and look forward to re-reading it a second time to be inspired even more.
Thank you Scott. "The trust layer" is exactly the right way to frame it. I will check out Al Ries.
Absolutely love this! Every word of it.
Big brands know the value of 'giving' before asking for anything. They don't ask for your loyalty, it comes automatically. Amazing analysis