A presentation for eBay sellers but really for all ecommerce sellers about what a brand is, why it's important, and how to develop one for your business.
2. Agenda
►What is a Brand?
►Why is it important?
►How do you develop your brand?
►PARTICIPATION
3. Who I Am
►Chris Taylor
• VP Marketing, Page Mage
• Sales & marketing professional for hidden years
• Former board, American Marketing Association SV
• 2011 eBay Ecosystem Champion award
• Organizer, SF Bay Area eBay Seller Meetup Group
• Casual eBay seller but transforming
9. What is Your Brand Promise?
►Customer service ►Hard to find items
oriented? ►Big or small co.
►Expert in experience?
category?
►Credible – Trust? We’re all different!!
►Professional?
►Best price / value
18. Do You Want Buyers To…?
►…notice you?
►…trust you?
►…buy from you?
►…come back? …refer others?
“I look at sellers not as product providers but as service providers.”
Buyer Panel – eBay On Location 2012
19. The Sales Pipeline
Touch
1 Preconception
Referral $$
Touch Touch
6 2 First Contact
Repeat Sale $$ Touch
$ Touch
5 3
Interaction
Touch
4
Purchase $$
21. Step
1 Do a Brand Audit
► Layout all your marketing
► You, customers, other successful sellers
► Ask questions
► Consistent? Recognize and remember?
► Mobile!!
► Prioritize – time and money
► BUBBLEFAST
22. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
►Brand Promise / Key Messages
► Elevator speech – what, benefits, for who, why me
► Glancers – marketing speak (Unbeatable service)
– SO WHAT?
► Credible – why should I believe you?
23. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
►Name
► Who loves their business name? Who doesn’t?
► Easy to say, spell, remember, unique, relevant
to what you sell, keywords / brand…, short
► Good is good; neutral is good; negative is bad!
► Think growth – don’t trap yourself
24. Step
2
What Do You Want it to Be?
►Brand Personality
► What will connect with your target audience?
► Smart, fun, funny, professional, folksy, hip, natural, b
usiness, expert, caring, passionate…
► Meld it into everything
25. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
► Tagline
► Memorable phrase – sum up tone and brand premise
► eBay seller examples
► HONEVILLE – Your Source for SHARP Shirts
► AllPosters – The World’s Largest Print & Poster Store
► Wayfair – A zillion things home
► Shuga Records – The Midwest’s largest online eBay record seller
► What’s yours?
26. Step
2
What Do You Want it to Be?
► Logo
► Image - picture - name – graphic mark
► Professional, unique, recognizable, simple, readable?
► Online (fiverr.com, eBay, Etsy.com) – freelancers
(elance.com) – recommendations from good ones…
27. Step
2
What Do You Want it to Be?
►Colors and images
► Right for your audience
► Consistent
Based on “Colorize Your Brand” article – John Williams
28. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
►Storefront
► This is your website
► Would someone “walk in” your store?
29. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
►Listing / description design
► Look professional – instant reaction for “glancers”
► “What does the buyer need?” AND “who cares?”
► Policies: Don’t lose the sale now!
32. Step
2 What Do You Want it to Be?
►About Me
► How many of you have one? Use it!
► Promote your business & build trust – why buy you?
► History – what your business does – selling
experience – passion – testimonials – recognition…
33.
34. Step
3 Start Rebuilding
Success group
Do a brand audit
Question everything
Prioritize - budget
Define key messages
Craft: name, tagline, logo
Create: colors, listing design
Edit your policies
Make the changes
Monitor
Create brand awareness plan
37. Step
4 Create Brand Awareness
Social Media Great Place to Drive
Awareness*
► 1 of 5 minutes spent online is on social networks
► More time spent on Facebook than any other U.S. site
► 70% of active social networkers shop online
► Pinterest has surpassed Twitter in retail revenue driven
► Social: A place to connect with existing & future
customers
► If you’re not there, your competition is!
*Stats from eBay On Location
38. Step
4 Create Brand Awareness
►YouTube
► John Lawson – bandana fold, 200k+
views, 1,000’s of sales
►Facebook - Twitter -Pinterest
► Engage
►Visual– glancers – authentic – not
marketing speak!
►And lots more
►Be consistent – Be your brand!
Editor's Notes
We’re ALL unique sellers, apply as appropriate.
QUESTION -- OKAY – WHAT IS A BRAND??
QUESTION – WHAT BRAND IS THIS?
What are your expectations?Simple to use – Cool – Elegant – Confidence – Belonging – Empowerment - LifestlyeDifferentiates them and lets them charge more!
We’re all different!
Apple’s core values: Design, Innovation, Quality, Ease & SimplicityTheir brand promise: communicated by everything they do: confidence, elegance, cool, belonging, lifestyle, freedom, empowerment
In this case, focusing on eBay but each marketplace will have its own set of touchpoints below that you use. Some a lot less, some more.EMPHASIZE PACKAGING
It differentiates you. It can give an image of size, of being established, quality, credibility and confidence.It also fosters loyalty. It costs much more to get a new customer than keep a current one.
It differentiates you – over 200 million listings! It can give an image of size, of being established, quality, credibility and confidence and buyer loyalty. And research shows that greater credibility equals a greater intent to buy.It also fosters loyalty. It costs much more to get a new customer than keep a current one.
Anybody audited by the IRS? Don’t answer!eBay ID / Store nameLogo and tagline – storefront – listing/description – policies – shipping/packaging – website – about me – newsletter – your Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest and Blog – different marketplaces. And anything else!QUESTIONS: Who are your target buyers? Are you talking to them? Are you consistent? Are you unique or different from your competition? What’s your brand personality? What’s your promise to buyers? Why should they believe you? Do you look credible?
Imagine you’re at a cocktail party, how would you describe your business?How would your competitors, your customers, your friends…describe your business?Be brief!! Concise. Really craft the words and minimize as much as possible while still getting your messages across.No marketing speak! Don’t waste words! (“I want you to be happy with your purchase” means nothing! How about -- “We have a no questions asked, forever return policy to make sure you’re happy with your purchase.” That means something!!Give the flexibility to grow and evolve.
It can be like the person who goes for an interview – walk in the door and their clothes and appearance set the tone.My all time favorite name – The Snowed Inn in Utah. Says it all. Memorable. That’s a fireworks name.In the ecommerce world of sellers, BubbleFast – great name!!This is tough because there are a TON of eBay squatters. What are your business names?
We live in a GLANCING world! Make your phrase memorable – sum up the tone and premise of your brand – reinforce the audience’s memory.