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Hello. I'm Stacey Pilcher. I am a strategic marketer and brand consultant who is passionate about helping my clients build their businesses.
I started my business in 1999 and believe inspiration comes from within - and also within the Grand Canyon - that's why you can find me hiking there every year.
I started this blog to help my clients think about new opportunities. How can I help you?
Posts Tagged ‘brand building’
Test Your Brand
Monday, January 31st, 2011
Have you measured the status and effectiveness of your company’s brand lately? Answer “Yes” to any of the following questions, and you need to consider new strategies and tactics to keep your brand fresh, relevant and profitable in today’s marketplace.
1. Do you depend on a loyal customer base with few new customers acquired each year?
2. Has your brand identity been consistent over the years, yet never updated?
3. Is social media a mystery to your company?
4. Is consolidation changing the face of your competitive environment?
5. Have distribution points changed for your products?
6. Do you feel that your product is slowly being usurped by new technology or offerings?
7. Have your consumers changed consumption patterns since the recession?
8. Do you have one “star” product outpacing all others?
Over the next few months, I will be discussing these topics and providing insights and suggestions on building brand and market share. Stay tuned.
Tags: brand building, consumer experience, consumer perception, marketing
Posted in 2011, Strategy | No Comments »
Jack LaLanne, the man who met the eight tests of a strong brand.
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
Jack LaLanne started when he was just 15 with an idea that he could change is life though a nutrition and fitness regime. Doctors called him a quack, but that didn’t stop him. At the time, they thought weight lifting would cause a heart attack. His idea, lead him to develop another idea – the health club.
Jack LaLanne built a movement based on his unwavering belief. He built an ultimate brand.
What makes a strong brand?
1. It is based on a unique idea.
2. It tells a story worth repeating.
3. It is relevant.
4. It is believable.
5. It is memorable.
6. It stands the test of time.
7. It delivers on a promise.
8. It creates something bigger than the original idea.
At 96 Jack LaLanne died on January 23, 2011. He always said, “I can’t die, it will ruin my image!” But I think his image will live long past the man.
Cheers to Jack!
Tags: brand building, brand strategy
Posted in 2011, Strategy | No Comments »
Walk in another’s shoes.
Monday, June 7th, 2010
Today, I was reading a review in The Wall Street Journal of the new book Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, the 36-year old founder and chief executive of Zappos. As the title indicates,he attributes some of the success of Zappos on the company’s approach to customer service, or “delivering happiness.” I’d like to read more.
One of the best things to come out of social media is teaching companies the impact customer service has on a brand. Social media has made our transactions transparent. Those companies that embrace social media and customer complaints, as well as compliments, are finding that honesty truly does build brand equity. Even consumers know that not everything is perfect all of the time.
So take a walk in your customers’ shoes, who knows, after ten years, you might be able to sell your company for $1.2 billion, just like Mr. Hsieh.
Tags: brand building, consumer experience, social media
Posted in 2010, Strategy | No Comments »
Old Dogs. New Tricks. Social marketing and brands.
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009
Social media is all the buzz. Interactive firms are the agencies of record. Digital is the panacea for marketing.
But is it really?
According to a recent survey by the Keller Fay group, 22% of word-of-mouth conversations are sparked directly by traditional advertising and those people are more likely to include brand recommendations than the remaining 78%. An even higher proportion of online buzz, 30%, is generated by ads.
Could it be that social media is just another tool? During a recent webinar there was a question about whether or not reviews and questions posted online should be answered by a company. One participant answered “Would you ignore a ringing phone?”
A recent study by Harris asked Americans what type of ads were most helpful in making purchase decisions. Over one-third (37%) said television ads are most helpful. Interestingly 50% of people aged 18-34 said television ads are most helpful. Big surprise, one third (31%) of the older Americans 50+ selected newspapers as the medium most helpful. Old dogs perhaps?
In the interactive world, 14% said internet search was most helpful and only 1% selected internet banner ads. On the flip side 28% said that no ads were helpful in making purchase decisions.
The fact is that marketing is much more than the product or service’s presence in the digital world. It is about presence in traditional mediums. It is how consumer concerns are answered online and on the phone, it’s about the quality of the product, it’s about pricing, it’s about the emotional connection communication makes with the consumers. It’s about service after sale.
Has marketing really changed? Isn’t marketing about creating a relationship with your customer? Telling them about new things – items they want, ideas they talk about, products they use and recommend. Building a relationship is building a brand.
The cool thing is that the methods to communicate are constantly changing. With all these new tools, old dogs can learn new tricks.
Tags: brand building, marketing, social media
Posted in Brand Adages | No Comments »