Landscape Management, October 2012

BUSINESSPLANNER2013 Define and manage your brand By Lara Moffat hen was the last time you evaluated your brand What process did you use to defne it and how have you managed your brand Whats branding Simply branding is how you and your business are viewed in the marketplace However its not that simple A brand takes a process to create time to develop and consistency to endure Branding isnt solely a marketing concept it plays a part of how every aspect of your business is communicated and perceived The saying might be cliché but perception is reality in the eyes of the consumer and you want to be perceived favorably Think about all the contact you have with your team clients and community How are you and your business viewed When defning your brand there are several basic questions to ask 1 What core services or products do we offer 2 Are we servicing what our market wants 3 Do we need to modify our business model 4 How are we perceived by our employees clients competition and prospects 5 Does our team have a clear understanding of its role in our success By answering these questions youll be on your way to clearly specifying your services identifying your market and differentiating your company which will help determine how to manage your brand Use the following guidelines to help defne your brand and develop a plan State what ServiceS or productS youll offer The more specifc you are about stating what you do the more likely youll be able to communicate accurate messaging to the community This includes internally to your team and externally to your customers industry colleagues and prospects If youre routinely contacted by consumers about services you dont offer its time to review what message i e promotional materials youre sending to prospects determine what motivateS the deciSion makerS in your key market Knowing your target audience is essential to LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET STRING1 20 OCTOBER 2012 marketing to any given audience effectively Identify the consumer behavior the study of when why how and where people do or dont buy a product or service that motivates your specifc group Consumer behavior will vary greatly from residential to commercial and from tree sales to high end landscape construction projects Additionally its important to note people dont buy a service because of it they buy it because of its benefts promote what differentiateS your company from another At frst glance many landscape companies offer the same services from the consumers perspective But your clients arent concerned with the service its the benefts they receive that are paramount Defne a personality that speaks authentically to your target audience business model and community culture Focus on a clients lifestyle a companys involvement within the community or its sustainable practices now itS time to manage your brand Develop a plan that reviews and integrates all contacts your business has with the marketplace employees clients industry colleagues collateral marketing equipment etc Every impression makes an impact on branding and professionalism tops the list as the way to build a positive brand Think about the individuals you respect I bet you have a high regard for them because theyre professional in the way they talk act and look The same is true for your business Train your employees to be professional by valuing what they do and that investment will have a high return By engaging your staff and making it aware of the business direction youll build ownership and develop a team mentality Set expectations frst through leading by example and second by holding yourself accountable Put tools and guidelines in place that enable all to achieve Then expect attention to detail from the cleanliness of the feet to the consistency of marketing materials Acknowledge the successes and constructively correct the misses Each year devise a focus During QUICK TIP Determine what motivates the decision makers in your key market