How does a community, town, city, state or province make the top of the list for visitors, new residents, and new business and industry? Most importantly, they need to stand out from their competition.
In this age of fast and easy information, the world is at people's fingertips. With over 1,200 marketing messages bombarding us each day, we tune out everything that doesn't directly appeal to us. An effective community brand can cut through that clutter and grab our attention. When that brand promises us the experience we're looking for, we take notice. A good community brand can attract new business, residents and visitors, helping to diversify the local economy and enhance the quality of day-to-day life for the entire region.
This is the age of specialization - being known for something specific. A brand is what sets you apart; it is people's perception when they think of your community. But branding is often misunderstood, and frequently communities spend too much time and money attempting to create a brand that simply won't work.
This month we'll present the first five of the ten most important rules about place branding, and next month we'll finish with the last five.
1. Brands are perceptions
Logos and slogans are NOT brands. Your community's brand is what people think of you - their perceptions. It is what people expect they will see and experience when they are in your area - good and bad. Logos, slogans, graphics and ads are just marketing messages used to support and promote the brand.
2. Brands are built on product
A brand makes a promise, and that promise is built on product. You must have the activities, amenities and ambiance that fulfill your brand promise. Would Napa Valley be the winery capital of the U.S. if they didn't have a large number of excellent wineries and other activities and amenities to back up their claim? You have to BE what you say you are.
3. Brands are earned: sometimes good, sometimes bad
You never just "roll-out" a brand. You must earn it and build it over time. Since a brand makes a promise, it's essential that the promise is fully realized, obvious, and pervasive. Often communities need to focus on a repositioning or rebranding effort in order to change the perception of the community, which can be an arduous and time-consuming process that MUST start within the community.
4. Brands are developed through PR and word of mouth
You always build your brand through public relations; advertising is used to maintain your position, once you own the brand. Remember, brands are perceptions - what people think of you. Advertising is what you think of yourself. You need the third-party endorsement that effective public relations can provide. Start with the web - blogs, YouTube, reviews, etc.
5. Brands must be experiential
Community brands MUST be experiential or activity-driven, not just based on something to look at or a warm and fuzzy feeling. Geography, historic downtowns, scenery and "feel good" slogans are very rarely effective brands. They are part of the ambiance, the stage. People are looking for experiences, things to do. Static attractions that are simply things to see quickly become "been there, done that" experiences, and thus not sustainable brands.
Stay tuned next month for five more rules of branding!
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