Article

Improving your brand

By opening our doors for business, we create messages in the marketplace

Casual discussion topics among propane folks generally fall into the predictable categories around trucks, tanks or the weather.

I can’t recall in my 20-plus years in the industry sitting at a table of propane retailers where one poses the questions: “How do you feel about your company’s brand message?” or “How’s that new brand identity plan working?” No, we would prefer to talk about DOT audits, employee issues or the relationship of crude oil to the wholesale costs of propane.

Our company brand is seldom, if ever, spoken of internally or externally.

In fact, most retail propane branding strategies are based around a logo (possibly quite dated), spreading some advertising literature, reluctantly adding a web site (that someone under 30 manages), trusting the word of mouth for people to “know you” and finally “letting your service do your talking.”

We tend to believe that only Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart or Hallmark have brands; not our little company. But whether we like it or not, the act of opening our doors for business every day creates messages that are interpreted by those in our marketplace. The fact is that we all (intentionally or not) develop some sort of brand image.

The purpose of this column is to get you thinking in a slightly more sophisticated way about your company’s brand – that “thing” that comprises the promise to your customers about what they can expect from your products and/or services. While none of us has large resources to throw at brand development, we can take a comprehensive approach that, over time, can yield results.

Brand strategy
These are the four basic components of a brand strategy:

• Brand differentiation – What is it that makes your services stand out from the competition, or what is it that makes your propane company unique and special?

• Brand relevance – Are your products and services something customers need and can use?

• Brand esteem – This is the degree to which the customers love and respect what you do for them. I believe that there are consumers who truly love the service they get from their propane company. That did not simply come from a well-designed logo but most likely through the customers’ experiences of having their expectations exceeded. Those customers who love you the most are always reading your messages and, in fact, will be the first to perceive differences in your messages or perceived deterioration in your care for the business.

• Brand knowledge – This is helping your customers understand who you are and what products and services you provide. We often believe that once our customers know us, they will like us. If all of your messages are clear and consistent with your service then this will be true. If your customers are confused about what comprises your core business, however, it may not matter how good your service is. They will wonder if their type of account is your priority.

Common mistakes
Here are some common mistakes made around brand strategies:

• Not understanding that your business has an active brand that is always improving or eroding. Failing to understand this is perhaps the biggest mistake we can make.

• Trying to be all things to all people. It is confusing and highly ineffective to create a message that we fill cylinders, sell cooking gas, sell high-efficient furnaces, etc. It does not mean that we stop selling to all types of customers. It simply means that the key message we want to emphasize should appeal to the core strength of our advantages and our most desired customers.

• Being too complex. The most successful of brands are often the most simple, and the simplest are often the most powerful.

I can’t lay out an action plan in this limited discussion, but to develop a brand strategy I would recommend you begin by conducting a comprehensive review of what comprises your brand, its message and how it can be improved upon. Using outside professional help always makes sense.