QRCA Views

16 QRCA VIEWS WINTER 2 014 www.qrca.org THE TRUE NATURE OF OUR BRAND C O N T I N U E D energy; they are rooted in the physical and bring our offering down to earth. Without them you have no offer, no busi- ness doing business. BIG BRAND: Dove started as a simple bar of soap, and its product line has expanded over the years to meet the physical needs of today's consumers. From a pricing per- spective, it's on par with many other beau- ty brands. So the only way it can differen- tiate itself at this level is to offer a wider selection of products, packages, or pric- ing. Product innovation is one of the big- gest, but most expensive, propositions a brand can make. SMALL BRAND: As a small business or independent entrepreneur, your products are the tangible offerings of your business. Consider offering different packages or value-added services that can increase your value. How might you bundle your products or services to make you stand out from your competitors? Look at what your customers need and be the first to solve their biggest problem. AIR – THE LOGICAL BEHIND EVERY PURCHASE The air element is connected to our thoughts and can be still or whipped up like a hurricane. Imagine the swirling wind of thinking that goes into some pur- chases; they may seem completely devoid of logic. This level of value comes down to the functional nature of the brand. "Will it really work?" If a product doesn't deliver on its func- tional claim, it won't be around for long or at least won't have many loyal fans. Generally speaking, logical needs can be grouped into these functional needs/values: BIG BRAND: Dove's functional value is to clean, moisturize, or in some way deliver a beauty benefit. The functional values of Dove's products are product specific, though most of Dove's products are relat- ed to the goal of physical beauty. SMALL BRAND: What is the functional promise of your brand? Which of the five key needs are you meeting? If it's not clear to you, then it's probably not clear to your customers either. You may want to look at the message in your marketing. I've heard countless entrepreneurs describe the fea- tures, not the benefits, of their offerings. Do the work to make your functional value clear. Use these five logical needs as a filter to look at what your products or services deliver at a functional level. WATER – THE EMOTION OF THE OCEAN Emotional motivators are the most pow- erful influencers on purchase behavior. We buy on emotion and justify it with logic. Like the moon pulls the tides of the ocean, the ebb and flow of water mimic the positive and negative waves of emo- tion related to purchases we experience. Moving your customers from negative to positive emotional states increases your value. Remember, it's not what you say, it's how you make people feel. Using these emotional motivators in the art of persuasion is what separates good sales and marketing from great sales and marketing. BIG BRAND: The Dove brand believes when you look and feel beautiful, you feel happier, a position that has changed over the years. Their emotional value is based on making women feel good about them- selves. That has made Dove one of the world's most beloved beauty brands. SMALL BRAND: Navigating the complexity of emotions requires an attentive ear. Market research remains the most impor- tant tool for meeting your customers emotional needs – even for research con- sultants. Ask your customers the right questions, listen, and learn. Note the words your customers use to describe their frustration, fear, or frenzy, and their ideal emotional state. Then mirror that language in your sales conversations and marketing material. Remember, you are either pulling them toward a more posi- tive emotional state or helping them push away from a negative state. ETHER – SOCIAL CONNECTIONS SELL BRANDS Ether is a gaseous compound with no inherent quality itself; rather, it picks up and transports the subtle energy of its • Making Money • Saving Money • Saving Time • Simplifying Something • Achieving a Specific Goal

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