“Risk it..”

 

When driving your “Go to Market” strategy, the safe vs risk component is always front and center. I say have a very cohesive brand development strategy, and one that drives home your message, but take a risk ! This is your chance to get people talking, they key is not to be something you are not, but rather something you would like to “eVolVe” into at some point. Brand “EvoLutioN” is key if you are to survive against your competition, regardless of the product you sell.

Being “different” has a proven model for success, and one that allows a brand to evolve and be accepted. This strategy is also very uncomfortable for many brands, with risk there is reward, but also the chance for failure. Failure is the Battle Scars of a “true” Innovator !!  Those who play it safe, with a “Imitate vs Innovate” mentality eventually get run over ! Get off the tracks if you are not going to risk failure….

Always take strategic Risks..!
Always assure that Failure makes you a stronger Brand..!

Always encourage Risk taking..!

Enjoy the Ride !
Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

“Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog..”

How to Truly Innovate..

Many Brands have worn out their use of “Innovation”. These are brands that feel a “Progression” beyond where they are today is “True” innovation. The idea of living in a “Bubble” while others run circles around you,  is not a reality they choose to deal with and as a result they get run over. “Get out the Way”, we have some serious “Evolution” on the way. 

A “Truly” Innovative Brand strives to not only “Progress and Evolve” in all they do on a daily basis, but more importantly look to RE-Invent they way their industry operates (ie. Apple, Nike..).

Merely taking a “safe” road without risk is just that…Safe ! Taking risks, allowing those inside the corridors of the brand the “FREEDOM” to create what me never imagined was possible. In addition, having the “guts” to move beyond a product, even though it may still be successful. This “Evolution” process creates a frenzy with those who desire your product ! Why stand still, when you can move beyond others Imagination….

• Always look outside “Boundaries”… !
• Always allow the “Freedom” to create…!
• Always look to make your  ”Imagination” reality…!

Enjoy the Ride !
Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

www.linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/

 ”Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog…”

Product Creation Engine drives Marketing..

There’s Beauty In Performance ! Great Product Design and Creation drives a brands Marketing engine. Without Great Products serving a defined purpose and a clear USP, Marketing will run out of “Ammo” quickly. With the Product Team putting gas in the Marketing Engine, this allows the team to build an “authentic” message that resonates with your “core” enthusiasts. It is not a matter of  ”if”, but “when” a brand loses it’s “edge”, when the messaging does not match the Product reality !

I have seen many brands “Die” when they sell their “Soul”, which is the key “Bloodline” to ensuring your long term health. Just finished reading some more juice on Steve, and he was a follower of Henry Ford. Ford knew what the customer wanted  ”before” they knew they needed it !  The Model T was a great product, simple, intuitive and would change the landscape of American Culture. The Model T, although simple in product, was sophisticated in its design.

Always remember as Henry Ford was quoted; “If I would have asked my customer what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse !”.  When Steve was developing the MacIntosh platform, they said it could not be done, as with Ford, but he knew if developed it would change the landscape of American Culture. 

To develop and create Great Products you will take on Great Risk, and those who dare to fly in the face of absolute uncertainly aspire to Greatness, but are willing to deal with and move on from  Defeat. 

Let’s make dent in the Universe ! ……Steve

What are you willing to risk for Greatness ?

“Always Aspire to fly higher than your Competition..”

“Always look to Great Product to affirm your Brand positioning…”

“Never sacrifice your Soul to develop a Product that is not right for your Brand..”

Enjoy the Ride !

Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

www.linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/

“Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog..”

Creating Brand Juice..

 

 

Driving, and building a Brand’s ID to your “core” audience is key to developing a social presence, and long term relevance. “Juicing” the Brand is a continual process, and has many components that work together to ensure you have an effective marketing strategy. 

In the “digital” age you are constantly challenged with not only keeping your audience engaged, but ensuring your “voice” is of interest. With many voices looking to engage this audience, you must have an effective plan to continually keep them coming back and engaging them in your brand “culture”. As we have discussed, this Brand Culture…is the lifestyle your audience wants to be a part of.. 

Bring them in, engage them in your Brand, and keep them coming back..

Always look to “Juice”  the Brand…!
Always drive a “relevant” Brand message…!

Always build a long term “Plan” to Engage…!

Enjoy the Ride !
Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

https://twitter.com/bryansmeltzer

www.linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/

“Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog..”

“Driving a Brand Social Media Community..”

 

Building, Driving and Growing your Brand’s Social Media Community is the latest marketing initiative. As important as this may be, you have to ensure, as we have always discussed, is it “right” for the Brand. In other words, “what is your goal” for engaging your audience….Is it merely to say you have a Social Media Engine, or is it to Drive a very specific strategy that engages with your “core” long term.

As with most brands this is new territory, and it seems nobody really knows what the “rules” are as of yet. As a result, they experiment with a  ”trial by fire” approach. Meaning let’s “fire away”, and see if anything sticks… vs having a very specific goal of what you are trying to achieve with a focused effort. Better to focus on something specific that grows through an “integrated” strategy.. vs building something for the sake of saying you are doing something.

Brands that take into account their brand “bloodlines”, understand their “core”, develop a  Social Media engagement strategy that continues “authenticate” through these two “lifelines” will grow and thrive in this environment. Again, just as with all marketing strategies, brand positioning and engagement, virtually or otherwise, stay “true” to who you are, find something interesting to say and they will find you.

However, as with most marketing investments, you will need to invest to find, build and grow your Social Community through partnering with the “Big Dogs”  (Facebook, Google, etc.). Once you have defined your goal for building your “Community”, then you will need to build up the numbers to determine your investment to achieve this growth. 

Always stay “True” to your Brand Bloodlines..
Always look to “Drive” a Social Community similar to brand Demo..
Always engage “Authentically” once they are in your “Community”..

Enjoy the Ride !
Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

“Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog..” 

 

 

Brand Creation or Destruction…

 

Building a platform for continual “Creative” success requires a cohesive mindset, and collective brand effort. These foundational principles ensures first and foremost those “driving” the brand are clear as to the near, and long term expectations.

These expectations are built from defining “what” you as a brand stand for, “how” you are positioned, “where” you are located and “when” you communicate to your “core” audience. Your brand “Advocates” expect a consistent voice, and a clear message both visually and verbally.  Anytime there is a disconnect between these messaging mediums, you risk breaking this chain of loyalty.

It is crucial, and integral to a brand, that you “Create” a brand positioning strategy which gives a consistent voice and image behind the brand. If inconsistent, or there is a disconnect, a Brand risks loyalty “Destruction”, and trying to rebuild this foundation is difficult if not impossible to achieve. 

I have had this situation with several brands I know very well. They choose the “low hanging fruit” to drive revenue and disregard the brand “foundation” in the hope their “core” will not notice, but inevitably they will and this “disconnect” spreads like a “digital” virus. You have a choice as a Brand, stay consistent to your “Creative Foundational Principles” or “Sell your Soul” and risk “Destruction” at the hands of those who built your brand.

“Always stay “True” to your “Roots”, they will help you grow..!”

“Always remain consistent to your “Foundational Principles..!”

“Always give your “Brand Advocates” a consistent “Voice” and “Image”..!”

Success is driven by your ability to keep consistent with your original “Vision” of  ”what you stand for..”. Your ability to adapt, while remaining “True” to this “Vision” will be key long term. As I have mentioned, there are many brands who lay in the “wasteland” of broken promises, not to themselves as much as to others.

Enjoy the Ride !
Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

“Product Innovation & Marketing Success Blog..”

Driving Brand Innovation..

 

Building and Driving…These are two “key” components, and are building blocks/foundational elements to structuring an effective Product and Marketing strategy. “Building” constitutes establishing “elements” of what makes a great brand (Product Design/Process, Market Positioning/Activation), and defining an ongoing product machine  and viral engine that infects all aspects of the corporate culture and injects this “juice” into to your “Core” Demo. This type of infectious engine should “click” on all cylinders with effective planning and “key” resources to ensure you do not become irrelevant.  

Once this brand “Building” is established, you must have a team that Drives this machine once it is built. Some may think this is one or two “key” individuals, but this is not the case. The “key” is everyone inside the corridors needs to be part of driving the machine, but someone needs to be in the “drivers” seat. While all are involved, one must be the “visionary” and master motivator.  We had this while at Oakley, Jim Jannard was our “Soul” motivator ! At the “Heart and Soul” of Oakley was Jim, and he was the “Driver”, as Steve was with Apple.

Although rare, it takes a certain “Bloodline” to achieve this level of Evangelist, and I was fortunate enough to experience it first hand ! Thanks Jim !

Always look to build a Foundational “Bloodline”…

Always inject this “Bloodline” into all that enter your culture…

Always build and drive this “Machine” with an Evangelist at the wheel..!

Enjoy the Ride !

Bryan Smeltzer

http://www.bryansmeltzer.com

http://www.liquidmindsite.com

“Product Innovation and Marketing Success Blog..”