Multi-Business Brand

I was casting about this morning for a subject to write on this week in my continuing exploration of the positives of brand.

I tripped over an article talking about Consistent Branding in Personal and Business Channels. It was good advice as far as it went.

What if you have two or more businesses?

You’ve heard before how I named my business Z-axis Marketing, Inc and then discovered that people couldn’t remember it, couldn’t spell it and couldn’t type in the URL. Since I had incorporated under that name I kept it. Now, I add “Jerry Fletcher’s” to the logo on my materials and if you look for Z-axis Marketing on Google it will come up as Jerry Fletcher’s Z-axisMarketing.com with this URL https://www.jerryfletcher.com

A separate identity

When I started speaking professionally I knew I needed another name, a separate identity, another Brand. The topic I chose to become an expert in was Networking. I’ve often said I could do up to two days on the subject without repeating myself. That’s because I looked hard at what gave the best Networkers their edge and dove into the deep end on those subjects as well. Because of that expanded expertise in Contact Relationship Management, Vision, Mission, Position, Brand, Referrals and most important, Trust I’ve been paid to speak on three continents.

Networking Ninja, professional speaker

That’s the logo I used for years. It was on everything. Web site, one-sheets, mailings, e-mails, letterhead, envelopes, labels. The whole magilla. it is intentionally completely different from Z-axis Marketing. But it does maintain an interesting mix of typography anchored by Arial, the most common san-serif typestyle in use these days which always looks good in digital formats.

Consistency isn’t always the key

I’m all for consistency within a company’s communications. The graphics, copy and feel of the customer facing materials to include variations on the Value Proposition all need to be carved from the same chunk of stone. BUT uniformity across companies that are not related is a bad idea. The people that hire speakers are not looking for a consultant that crafts brand for elite independent professionals. They are looking for a speaker that can turn their audience on and provide content that can make a difference for those men and women immediately.

In simple terms, keep your Brands separate but equal to the task of building a trust-based relationship with the buyers or end-users of the product or service being offered.

Where to be constant

That doesn’t mean you can’t be constant across social media. The trick is to find a way to do so. Rethink your approach to your steadfast sites. Stop using them as a broadcast medium. Put them to work building relationships and beginning conversations.

On every one of my websites, personal and business profiles you will find these answers to the question, “What do you do?”

· Marketing Rainmaker

· Networking Ninja

· Contact Relationship Magician

And now

· Brand Poobah

No matter how you find me the presentation tells you what I do in no uncertain terms but each product/service stands on its own.

Downline

I’ve been writing about Brand now for over a year. Interest in what I have to say has brought me followers on a weekly basis on Linked In. The future holds some real changes. Meeting Planners for both associations and businesses are beginning to ask about Brand Poobah Keynotes. That will become my primary speaking identity going forward. Yes, everything will be shifted to that Brand.

It won’t happen in the next few minutes but by the time I visit Spain next year it will all be in place. I’ll keep you posted on the change-over and try to offer some advice along the way.

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Jerry Fletcher is a sought-after International Speaker, a beBee ambassador, founder and Grand Poobah of www.BrandBrainTrust.com

His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for Trust-based Brand development, Positioning and business development for independent professionals on and off-line.

Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com

DIY Training: www.ingomu.com

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