Creating an InCredible Product Brand

ProductCamp Boston 2013Christina Inge, Senior Director of Marketing, eZuce, Inc

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> First, have a holistic view of branding: it’s not a set of visual guidelines. It’s not about “pretty.” It’s about values and value

> Know who you are, and express it boldly• So few do

> Have honesty, integrity, and work with quality

> Say something meaningful

> Do it in a unique way

What Makes for an InCredible BrandIn a World of “Same”-How to Stand Out?

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> Resonance: it fits with what your customers need

> Other-Centeredness: it focuses on what your customers need, not what you’re “doing”

> Uniqueness: it’s not a generic “corporate brand.” Nothing looks more insincere

> Focus: it stands for something distinct, which can be articulated succinctly

Keys to a Good BrandIt’s A Formula, But Not A Simple One

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> Integrity: you honor what you say

> Quality: in your product, in how you present yourself

> Content: you explain why and how, not just talk big

> Respect: for the team, for the stakeholders, for the customer

> Depth: not necessarily of product line, but of content, documentation, and industry knowledge

Keys to a Credible BrandBrands Are Not Fluff—They’re the Reason People Buy from You

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> More than just putting yourself in the customers’ shoes

> So few brands really listen

> Frontline feedback is sometimes worth more than focus groups

> Listen to the industry• Listen to people who are not your

customers• Try to find out why

ResonanceWhat Your Customers Need

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> Language is the key:• Talk about how you solve their problems,

not how you solve your problems, • Talk about what your product can do for

them, not what it’s like designing your product

> It’s actually OK to talk about features-the “Features vs. Benefits” contrast does not ensure other-centeredness

> Only truly thinking about benefits does

Other-CenterednessFocus on Customer Needs

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> Especially vital for smaller companies or a crowded market

> Always essential for any brand

> Being distinctive is not a handicap, but so few brands embrace

> Fear of being too different smothers creativity

> A brand needs to be creative to survive

> Even in B2B

UniquenessDon’t Worry About Being Different!

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> Stand for a few basic value propositions

> Don’t aim for more than 5—3 should be enough

> Temptation to say everything great about your product

> People are busy, need bottom line, top 3

> Lack of focus looks to “early” or “late”

Focus Don’t Try the Kitchen Sink Approach

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> Few professional marketers would lie about a product, but beware not understanding end-users

> Pumping up the product never works

> Integrity also in offers and promos:• A webinar should have the content

promised, minimal sales• Good value is a key form of integrity

IntegrityHonor What You Say

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> Spend the time

> Spend, if possible, on good collateral

> What people look for:• Good, non-cliché, well-designed imagery• Good, clear, grammatical writing

> Professional visuals, language, and presentation shows company is quality

> Adhering to marketing best practices

QualityHow You Present Yourself Reflects on the Product

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> Depth and honesty

> Be technical. Geek out. Your customers actually want that

> No one wants to or will read fluff

> Don’t shy away from more detail

> Superficial “white papers” with clichéd advice have seen their day• We hope• We really hope

ContentHow You Explain Your Value

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> Live your values

> Don’t talk down to customers or assume they aren’t discerning

> Respect their time with informative content

> Respect their needs with two-way conversations

> Voice of the customer is a part of your brand

RespectCustomers Sense, Respond

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> Doing fewer things well builds brand value

> Tap the expertise of your team

> Be in tune with your industry, maintain knowledge

> Respond, but also lead, especially if you’re emerging

> Depth is what creates • Good content• Good value• Good products

DepthKnowledge Builds Credibility

Evolving a Brand

A B2B Case Study

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> eZuce delivers an open software platform designed to provide virtualized communications.

> Cloud, virtualization

> Open source and open standards

eZuce Corporate BackgroundBring communications and collaboration to IT and into the cloud

Corporate HeadquartersBoston Massachusetts USA

Bucharest - R&D

Seattle - Support

Bangalore - QA

Ankara - R&D

> Voice, Video, Conferencing

> Chat, IM, Social Collaboration

> 2.5 year old, venture-backed startup competing in a space with large, legacy players

> Aimed at forward-thinking CIOs

16 Building a BrandAiming for Uniqueness and Value in a Market Dominated by Traditional Brands

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> Which would you rather have on your site?

UniquenessDon’t Be Afraid to Deviate from the “B2B” Look

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> Develop series of thought leadership pieces that give genuine value• Not sales pitches, but real content• Really, real content

> Taking a (sincerely) disruptive stand on industry issues

> This is what startups can do—and it’s often the best way to stake out a market position

> Case studies: remaining other-centered

Content and ValueA Brand Isn’t Just A Visual

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> Focus: go deep on a few verticals, or messages, rather than a scattershot effect

> Hone a message and think about how it can best be presented through a few target media, such as video and social

> Make sure the message is substantive—everyone is putting out sales pitches, but detailed product specs, in-depth case studies, and honest white papers make you stand out

DepthBe An Expert—That, In Itself, Is Half Your Brand

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> Have confidence in going outside the usual B2B comfort zone

> Detail the value of your product (don’t sell the sizzle)

> Be real—even in B2B, authenticity trumps “corporate” look, feel, and message

> Embrace what is distinctive about your market position, product, and worldview

> Have fun!

Lessons LearnedApplying Brand Concepts in the Real World

Christina Inge

978-296-1005, ext 2073. cinge@ezuce.com