You added a lot of value by creating this model... thanks so much for all your help and wisdom - it has been lots of fun so far!!”
- Jill Nyren, Principal, Nyren Collaboration
“Great job on the Sears portion of the web site. The design and writing are very professionally done. It has the right appeal to bring in leads and your copy reflects our brand positioning very well.”
- Jim Colpitts, Category Business Manager, Sears Canada
“Wonderful job on the newsletter! I enjoyed reading it - the tone, layout and upbeat feel were very well executed.”
- Christina Laughren, International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) board member
“When we were looking for speakers for our conference, Harp was someone who readily sprang to mind. We were rewarded with one of the best presentations of the day. Some people immediately made changes to their marketing plans when they left the conference. Real value and action. ”
- Paul Copcutt, Career Professionals of Canada Conference Chair
“Harp, thank you for your ongoing commitment and work on behalf of IABC Grand Valley. I'm so happy to have someone of your calibre and professionalism on our board. Your active participation has been a tremendous asset to our chapter.”
- Annie Coté-Kennedy, IABC
“Thanks to all of you for all the excellent work. One only has to take a look at our web site and our promotional material to see the quality of your work. I‘m really proud of the outcome. ”
- Hubert Saint-Onge, Principal and Founder, SaintOnge Alliance
“I truly enjoyed your talk this morning - I believe it will help me re-focus. I am positive your message this morning has helped several businesses re-evaluate their message, as I have.”
- Pat Campbell, K-W Chamber of Commerce Member
“Was great working with you. Thanks so much for helping us launch our staff portal - I hope we can collaborate again in the new year!”
- Lynne Short, VP Marketing & Communications, Cowan
“I really like how you‘ve reworked the web site content. I appreciate how flexible and accommodating you‘ve been - you listened closely to the ideas I had and worked within my budget.”
- Alana James, Owner, Chore Choppers
“Thank you so very much for participating in STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS! The attendees indicated they thoroughly enjoyed your session. The information that you and the others shared was invaluable.”
- Sharon Graham, Career Professionals of Canada
“It was a real pleasure meeting you at the Bridges to Better Business. I appreciated your mentoring and professional input in the Marketing roundtable session. Thanks for a valuable information session!”
- Peter Szabo, Communication Lead, heterodox communication + design
“One of the best written press releases I have read in this industry.”
- Craig Morantz, VP, Sales Development, Leeds
“Thank you for coming to Laurier and passing on your wisdom about Resume creation. You gave a lot of interesting tips and you really got me excited to begin the process of overhauling my Resume.”
- Cam Davies, WLU Student
“Many thanks for your valuable business tips at the seminar. I look forward to having you come and speak at one of our Marketing Strategies or Customer Service sessions. It was a real pleasure to have met you.”
- Fred Parry, President, Project People
“Harp, thank you for a wonderful and informative workshop. You really helped me re-frame how we package our information”
- Stephanie Calma, Community Justice Initiatives
“You did a great job presenting at our event. You were prepared, on the ball, personable and engaging. All great qualities of a successful entrepreneur.”
- Nahla Kor, Owner, Kor Capabilities Consulting
“I liked the way you were able to answer participants‘ questions and keep the discussion on topic. You made it easy for us to interact, work together and feel part of the process. I look forward to hearing you speak again!”
- Cathie Schnarr, Owner, Autotalkers
“Thank you for your inspiring seminar. You walked us through a process which can be difficult – and made it comfortable and obtainable.”
- Maureen Harrison, Healing Arts Practitioner
Branding and Your Product Line
This column appeared in the Nov/Dec 2005 edition of Retail News Magazine.
By Harp Arora
Q: “I’m thinking about renovating my product selection. How can branding play a part in this change?”
Great – you understand branding can play an essential role in your business success! “Branding” can refer to a company, a product or a person (yes really). Here we’ll talk mostly about your company brand.
If you’ve built a unique and memorable brand in the hearts and minds of your customers, the answer is easy. A gourmet foods retailer known for its unrivalled international selection, healthy, organic foods, and caring, knowledgeable staff, would keep buying products that fit with its brand. Like $ 75 bottles of cold-pressed Italian organic olive oil.
Do your customers know what you stand for? If you answer “no”, or “I don’t know”, start building your brand. Find out how customers perceive your business. Compare that to your vision for the company, your values and your strengths. Do they match?
Now think about your competitors. How do they brand themselves? The key is to make sure your brand is unique and memorable. Then you must clearly communicate it and consistently live it.
That means your décor and lighting reflect your brand. It means you answer the phone and serve customers a certain way. And it means your products reflect your brand. When choosing, pick only those that fit what you stand for. Evaluate packaging, quality of content, history, geographic location, compatibility with other products, etc.
Keep in mind – good branding is good for business!
Questions or comments? Contact us for more information.
