Your Brand is Always On Display
I am not much of a “brand marketer”. I am a firm believer that the only point of marketing is to expedite the sales process. Too many marketers think that their job is to build a brand. But branding is just one minor aspect of marketing, especially technology marketing. In my opinion, brand is built by every aspect of the customer interaction. And I saw this demonstrated to me again in an airport meal.
I am a burger fan. I absolutely love the great American meal of a hamburger. And one of the better chain places to get a burger is Fuddruckers. So, when I was in Logan Airport this past week, my wife and I were hungry and stopped at a Fuddruckers. My darling wife ordered a Caesar salad, and I ordered a big fat burger with a fried egg on top of it. Unfortunately, the burger did not live up to my expectations as it was overcooked, undermeated, and generally disappointing.
As my wife and I ate, we discussed the fact that Fuddruckers was living dangerously by having a restaurant like this at an airport. If I had never eaten at a Fuddruckers, I would think this is what they were all like. Would I come back? Doubtful.
In my world, this is branding. Give your customers a great experience, and they will associate that with your brand. They will tell their friends, and your success will perpetuate itself. Branding is not a marketing effort. It is a whole company effort. You don’t have to spend money to brand, you just have to deliver a great product and service.
