Many times brand custodians are concerned about pushing their products to the target market. Many assume that just creating a service is the end of it and people will rush in to purchase their services. This assumption is often based on the fact that the new service is a one- in- town bullet proofed idea. Times are changing and we need to think otherwise .I strongly agree with Steve Heimoff’s assertion in this regard which says ‘’No longer is it enough to make and sell and then expect the world to beat a path to your door. Today seller has to reach out to their customers, understand their customers’ need (italics mine) and may have to do so in a way that is unfamiliar and even uncomfortable for them’’ Going the old way does not work any longer. The audience also have a concern.  Sellers, producers must note that many want some services badly but they do not have what it takes in term of financial capacity to get them. Customers are faced with choices. They have to make choices through opportunity cost- which is alternative wants forgone.

Despite these challenges, I must confess that brands can still get necessary attention from their segment if they truly understand the most viable reasons that determine why audience will invest in the brands. Today I just want to examine four basic reasons why audience still invest in brands despite the tight economic structure that pervades our economy now.

People buy to satisfy basic need: Never forget Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. When the basic needs of your segment is not know, your brand may not enjoy patronage from them. People have several needs with limited resources to go round. Your brands must aim first at satisfying their basic needs before you move ahead to give what is on their secondary list of needs. So first identify what they need and you can have them ‘grabbing’ your services

Solve a problem: in addition to the above, each market segment has problems that are peculiar to them. The more your brand can solve your segment’s problem in a unique way the better for the brand. Offer services that solve problems in a unique, emotional way that will propel your audience to talk about your brand. This also point to a sure way to get necessary attention from brand’s target.

Status: When the above issues are satisfied, brand audience will invest in a brand based on status’s need. I must admit there are few exceptions to this rule, but what is certain is that majority of brand’s segment will always follow this trend.

Quality and longevity of service/ created product: Why we always believe that emotional connection, perception influences target decision in a major way. A recent research packaged in an EBook form produced by Intrepid and MR. Youth supported the assertion that some clients also consider quality and longevity of the created services/ product before they buy.

 In this mentioned report, a young twenty one year old lady (Brittney) from Seattle has this to say ‘’When I purchase something, I want to know that it’s going to last for a while. I don’t know, maybe it’s just the nostalgia of getting things handed down to me from my parents and grandparents and the history they had but it makes me sad to think that our generation’s purchases won’t go through the same ordeal – everything’s ‘insta-use’ and once it’s used it’s gone.”

Let me conclude this piece by saying that getting value from your brand target is equal to your brand’s ability to know the reason why your target does business with you or not.

We all love growth. But many do not plan for it. Do no ever forget the law that says every object remains at a standstill until a force is applied. Many successful brands today will not be in the radar again in a couple of years just because they have forgotten how they get here. There is nothing bad in celebrating success. The only snag is that each level of success brings additional responsibility. Each new success should supply additional adrenalin that will keep the brand to remain afloat.

On the other side of the divide, I am amazed when most brands throw in the towel because growth has not being feasible. Especially when they know they are doing it right and moving in the right direction. For those who are already considering throwing in the  towel, please always remember the Chinese bamboo tree that takes about four years to take root downward before shooting out and become about five feet in the fifth year. The secret is never to throw in the towel.

My thought today is to share with us basic ingredients that drive brand’s growth.

New ideas: Brand must keep experimenting with new ideas. Staying with old philosophies will not help. Always write down new ideas, work out the details and implement them.

 Creative approaches: To drive growth, brand must also embrace creative approaches to doing business.

Innovative products: to drive growth brand must continual co create innovative product and service that will excite its audience.

Integrated organizations that maintain open communication: A divided and closed organization that does not breed enthusiastic audience can never drive growth. Always ensure that your brand maintains open communication that permit expression of personal opinion as well as inputs to brand’s growth

Connected communities: brand thrives on a connected community. There is no reason in this age for brand not to use all the new media to build connected communities that are great fans of the brand.

Responsible ethos: Be a responsible brand. Live on core values that will enhance brand’s equity

Unquenchable passion for change: have a passion that is change driven. You must not accept the status quos as the verdict. Challenge what is and what has been. Be driven by a change mindset

Every brand that has been successful has managed its relationship with its stakeholder beyond clients-provider level. Because people buy brands like the way they make friends. There is a level of intimacy that is involved. A genuine interest has to be established. Like in the religious world, ‘one spirit must enter’ both parties. For emotional connection to occur among brand’s stakeholders, each party must speak a common language. Without strong emotional connection with the brand, brands become unattractive, useless and eventually fail.

Let us examine factors that guarantee strong emotional connection with a brand.

1. What does your audience holds high: If you understand what their values are and what they cherish most. Not this alone, finds out what is their topmost priority for the value you are adding. For car makers, people may want safety over comfort, luxury over any car that can carry them around. Half-dressed musicians carry the day with teens than with adults

2. Common origin: Does your brand shares common origin with your brand? People with origin, source always flow. Check churches and mosque if you are in doubt. Leadership skin color, tribe, origin often influences followership. Even though religion, beliefs should be a unifying factor. There are few exceptions though.

3.  Shared value: This is also a common source of strong bonding with a brand by its stakeholders. Just look at NGOs, people of like passion flock together. Ensure that your brand engage in causes that touch your audience. People connect with brand that touches them positively.

4. Fashion and taste: This has to do with visual images. The brand’s identity, packaging can make audience connect with you strongly. Watch what your visuals are saying. Be concerned about your brand’s environment too. Brand You fashion/dress sense is important here.

5. Shared favorite pass-time: How does brand You unwind? Music that brand you enjoy, different sport bring people together. Is there any of these that your brand can use? There should be. Plan and sustain your effort here.

In times of recession, employee needs to know the ‘how’ of making impacts on the job that the company hire them for. This will guarantee them their position to stay while others are being lay-off.  David D’allessandro is much more correct today than when he published his book career warfare. For employees to retain their jobs now, individuals must manage their personal brands well. There is no gainsaying denying the fact that many will still lose their jobs in the coming year. Those who will retain theirs will be on the interplay of merits and knowing the ‘hows’ of the environments where they work as well as how well they manage their careers. That is why we keep saying: personal branding is the future of career and entrepreneurial success.

To retain your job as employee, I think we should consider the following thoughts that were shared by D’allessandro.

1. Be a “fedex”: as we know, fedex promise is overnight delivery. As an employee who cares about his personal career, individual must be prompt in the delivery of the service he is hired and paid for. If you are lazy and do not have ability to deliver on the terms which ensure your employment, your career may be on the line.

2. Excellent judgment: there are times you must shut up in the office and there are times you must speak out. Your brand must be noted for the use of high sense of discretion. Indiscretion costs you more. Be known for excellent judgment.

3. Be a coach: You have got to be a coach every other employee wants to play for.

4. Your boss: People need to play along with their bosses. In most cases, your immediate boss is a co- creator of your brand. Do not take the shine off your boss even if you are the one doing all the jobs. What that means when I say play along is that the management will always ask your immediate boss about you, if you are  in the  bad book of immediate boss, the way out is becoming too wide for you. This is especially true if you work in a multinational/multi branches company.

5. Good manners: take great care of your manners, attitude, and character. Remember that hard skills has gotten you the job, after that soft skill keep you going to the top.

6. Dress professionally: No matter the dressing culture in your organization, always dress for where you are going not where you are. Look at what most of your management staffs are wearing and be sure you are neat and corporately dressed each day.