8 Ways to Kill a Corporate Brand

1. Inconsistent Corporate Identity
A company must use the same name, logo and tag line in every contact inside and outside the company. The company name on the sign out front must match what is on your business card and website.
2. Poor Visuals (or no visuals)
If you want your company name to pop into someone’s mind be aware that pictures are stickier than words. People think more in pictures. Have a consistent visual picture and logo that comes to represent your company.
3. Not Training your Employees
Think of your employees as potentially walking, talking billboards. Pump them up about the name, logo and tag line – train them to be community ambassadors in your marketing campaign. Reward them when you find them doing it right.
4. Failure to Track Branding Efforts
Every time someone calls your company, the person on the phone should gently probe for how they came calling your company. Whether they saw your ad on TV or heard it on the radio or got info from a friend. Failure to record the answers and keep a master list could kill your brand.
5. Not Using Existing Consumers
The best marketing tool in your arsenal is WOM (word of mouth advertising). Ask your customers, clients or patients if they will join you in getting the word out. Ask for their opinion about your ads or seminars; ask them what they think your company’s greatest strength is and ask if you can quote them in brochure or ad.
6. Letting Marketing Materials Get Stale
Many businesses make this marketing mistake but it’s particularly true for small businesses.
Don’t use the same television or radio ad for three years. When your materials are stale, people ignore them and tune out your message.
7. Failing to Focus Branding on the Core Service
If you want your effort in branding to be successful, decide what your core service is and target your marketing to that primarily.
8. Not Having a Tag Line that is Believable
If the tag line doesn’t match the reality for your consumer, they will not believe it and they will kill your marketing efforts with negative word-of-mouth comments.