Re-igniting the brand signal

Established, respected manufacturers who’ve been around for decades, even centuries, can lose their brand signal. Their uniqueness and everything they do that makes their company and products special can get lost when it’s not consistently leveraged. After all, when you’ve been in business for years and years, shouldn’t everyone already know what makes you special? It’s a risky assumption considering industry newcomers can gobble up market share by more aggressively touting their advanced technologies, the products they’re developing or the streamlined processes they’re using. All the while, they can make long-standing companies look like dinosaurs.

Brand re-engineering can be a powerful tool in re-igniting a company that has lost its brand signal. Customers, employees and stakeholders want to feel confident in a brand’s vision. That means companies must leverage everything they do that makes them special in the marketplace. That un-named process that makes a product far superior to others; that million dollar investment in new technology; that cutting-edge manufacturing method—they all have great potential, if leveraged correctly, to help a long-standing company retain its place at the top of the industry and exponentially increase its success.

Barry LaBov

LABOV Marketing Communications and Training

www.labov.com

Safety inspires success

Simon Sinek, originator of the Golden Circle, postulates that good leadership is about creating an environment where employees feel safe. In this kind of culture, employees can focus on the work that needs to be done, and they’re more likely to work together to achieve it. Conversely, in an environment of danger, employees expend their energies trying to defend themselves. According to Sinek, that in turn weakens an organization. If you’re focused on avoiding the internal dangers of the workplace, you may not even see potential dangers from outside, like your competition taking away market share.

But when safety wins over fear, the tone of a company can significantly change for the better, and the perception of its leadership by others in the company is equally improved. Honesty, altruism, integrity are all characteristics of great leaders. And together they create an environment of safety in which employees and companies thrive.

Barry LaBov

LABOV Marketing Communications and Training

www.labov.com

Knowing when to type and when to talk

I have a rule I work (and live) by. If after two emails to someone there is still confusion about a project, a proposal, a creative direction or whatever I might be working on, I either pick up the phone or walk over to the person’s desk and have a conversation. No more emails, no texting…a real, honest to goodness conversation. We’ve all experienced the effect of texting and emailing and the resulting decline in face-to-face conversations. It’s getting pretty quiet out there. But if we want to avoid misunderstandings, miscommunications and outright errors, we can’t lose the value of a conversation.

Should we throw out texting and emailing altogether? Of course not. Technology is a great thing and makes it possible for us to stay connected more than ever. FaceTime, GoToMeeting, Skype have revolutionized the long-distance meeting, allowing us to have virtual face-to-face conversations with clients, coworkers, family, etc. Texting and emailing also have many benefits. But there are times in business, and in life, when technology is a poor substitute for a real conversation. Communication is an essential element to success in business and happiness in life. That’s why it’s so important to know when to type and when to talk.

Barry LaBov

LABOV Marketing Communications and Training

www.labov.com

Change the diapers

When my wife and I had our first child, Laura, I made it a point to change her diapers every chance I could. When I walked into our house every night, she was all mine. My wife didn’t lift a finger. I did the same with my son, Alan, and now most recently, my grandson, Grayson.

I’m a big believer in changing diapers. My daughter’s first smile came when I was changing her. I counsel guys to change their newborn’s diapers. Sure it can be a mess, but you get close with your child and you bond. It is not beneath my dignity to change a diaper; it’s a pleasure.

I feel the same way when it comes to working with clients. There is no job or task beneath me or anyone else. The more we dig in and get the dirty work done, the more we bond with our clients.

Barry LaBov

LABOV Marketing Communications and Training

www.labov.com