Comments on: Differentiate Or Perish Writes Dave Haynes

By: Lionel Tepper

Lionel Tepper — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:07:11 +0000

I just read a good post on the branding Strategy Insider blog “Branding Commodities” that talks about B2B brand differentiation that I think applies to this conversation, here’s part of what they have to say:

For B2B brands, you can pursue any combination of the following to provide differentiation:

• Superior product or service consistency (quality control)

• Superior ability to customize products or services to a customer’s specific needs

• Superior responsiveness (order fulfillment, technical support, customer service)

• Optimal/preferred bundling/unbundling of products and services, creating greater perceived value or better fitting a customer’s approach to purchasing

• Superior range of products and services (one-stop shopping)

• Value chain integration

• Unique/preferred/more accessible distribution approach

• Identify your most important/profitable customers or customer segments and focus on meeting their unique needs

• Conduct conjoint analysis to determine what they value the most

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Here’s the direct link to the story:
http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2007/04/branding_commod.html
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Like it or not digital signage hardware and software is a commodity—and buyers already know that. There are too many companies offering the same thing. So as Dave says: Differentiate or Perish.

By: Dave Haynes

Dave Haynes — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:29:25 +0000

I agree with Mr. Anon that good, old-fashioned salesmanship will win or lose the day, particularly when maybe 95% of what the various vendors are selling is common to most or all of them. BUT, an awful lot of the pre-sales work is done online and via email blasts. If companies don’t do the work to make themselves stand out and be worthy of a follow-up email or demo request, those sales people never get the chance to turn on the charm and expertise because the leads never materialize. If you really think buzzwords and nonsense phrases will do the job to drive sales activity, then shift away at those paradigms with your state-of-the-art pitch.

Dave H

By: Lionel Tepper

Lionel Tepper — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:50:46 +0000

It’s not just the message, you also need to consider your “brand.” Your customers are looking for more than just features and services. They’re also looking to connect with your companies on deeper level. That connection is with your “brand identity”

Most people looking at digital signage products and services for the first time “research” the market. They are looking for familiar names that they “know and trust”. That’s why brands like Cisco, 3M, NEC, and NCR are successful—straight out of the gate. They build on their established brand with adjunct programs—like press releases—because they are known and trusted. Companies in the digital signage space need to invest more in brand image along with a message of differentiation to build trust with buyers.

Think of it this way, If you’re a buyer in this market—who are you going to spend your dollars with? Are you going to go with a unknown name and risk your project—possibly your job on an unproven, unknown “me too” product or service?

Buyers invest emotionally in your brand. They want to know that they can trust you. That trust my not be directly expressed, it’s a subliminal process where a buyer becomes emotional attached to a brand. Part of this investment process is getting to know your products and services over time through branding (Image building)

How do you build brand image? Through a comprehensive, integrated marketing plan. That means that you need to use vehicles such as display advertising, branded downloadable resources, traditional print advertising and direct mail, along with press releases, twitter, social media, and Google Adwords. All of these elements (and more) together build brand image over time.

Building brand image means that YOU need to invest in your brand image by hiring professionals to help you hone your message, design better Websites, Invest in graphic design for better product and company logos, develop a campaign that speaks to the core brand promise. In other words… it’s about execution. The only company in this space that can put out press release without advertising is Scala. Scala can take this strategy because their brand is one of the oldest and best established brands in the digital signage market. Those of you who think that you can take a page out of Scala’s market plan are misinformed. Most of you are not executing well, and in a crowded marketplace—many of your companies will fail.

If you think that putting out a constant stream of press releases, twitter messages, and google adword campaigns is build brand image, then you just don’t get it and your wasting your energy. Those companies that do “get it” will eat your lunch.

The digital signage business has marketing backwards. Plastering the Internet with junk PR is just a lot of noise that all sounds the same—and mostly goes unread.

By: Jack Boyczuk

Jack Boyczuk — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:51:10 +0000

I think Dave is spot on. Too many companies don’t develop messaging from the buyers perspective (my company is guilty too). Lately I’ve spent a lot of time talking to stakeholders in a few vertical markets and it’s very eye opening to hear their opinions of what we sell and the benefit they perceive.

Also consider what successful companies sell…Nike sells success and the potential of what can be done with their products, they don’t talk about how great their laces are or the quality of the leather.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:02:42 +0000

I wouldn’t be surprised if what we have here is a situation where some people are getting a little tired of being told how poor their marcoms are continuously. I realize Dave has a new business to get off the ground, but he is going to tread on toes like this. Look, we have to spell out in simple terms what digital signage is to our customers. Buzzwords are part of the business lexicon and are useful in establishing brands at an early stage and developing a market. Yes, of course they don’t differentiate, as they are common place, but we need to clearly identify what it is we do. The differentiator comes in the sales process. No matter how good your copy and collateral is, it will not sell a hundred thousand dollar system. People buy from people and charisma and good old fashioned sales people are what actually sell. Marketing is great and absolutely vital unpinning for the sales process but many customers do not yet fully understand DOOH. We’re not VW and we don’t make cars. Yes, there is a lot of very poor marketing materials out there but let’s here more about what makes your copy great and what differentiates you. More positive, less negative please.

By: David Street

David Street — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:54:09 +0000

I fully understand the power of marketing, but we are in a very new industry that still needs a lot of explaining and selling, we can not afford to be vague and arty. I am still surprised how many new customers don’t understand the full potential and are amazed at even basic features.

I do agree with the headline and sentiment that you need to be different and we strive to introduce new features and benefits into our product all the time to out run everybody else, so far so good hence the brand.

So Kyle in the word of your friend Eric Cartman Screw You Hippy !

By: Paul Jankauskas, CEO AHMN

Paul Jankauskas, CEO AHMN — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:41:22 +0000

I must agree that in too many cases I have see a great technology or product developed by some really smart people only to be lost as soon as they realize they actually need to sell the inventory. I would suggest that if an equal amount of time and effort is spent upfront on the sales and marketing issues as are spent on product development, a more well rounded product offering with more realistic expectations will be developed. Often times I have seen the sales side of the equation treated as a necesary evil instead of the integral part of the overall process that it is.

By: Kyle Broflovski

Kyle Broflovski — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:14:03 +0000

David. You are as usual missing the point with your barbed comments. Dave is spot on, what he is saying is that branding and marketing are key. As signagelive is one of those companies that is actually doing quite a good job with marketing and building a brand you might want to shut up and let your business partner do his job whilst you go back to coding your windows systems. Would you buy ‘sugared-water’ or would you buy ‘coca-cola’ ?

By: David Street

David Street — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:55:31 +0000

So Dave we are not allowed to use any of your so called buzzwords (even if they are accurate) to describe products and we are not allowed to say what it does. Instead of which you want us to bang on about something irrelevant like rocket science ?

you need to watch some Ronseal adverts mate, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA_qxAWCwqI