59
COMMENT
Who’s who at the
Specialized Carriers
&Rigging Association
CHAIRMAN
Michael Battaini
Sheedy Drayage
San Francisco, CA
PRESIDENT
RonMontgomery
Intermountain Rigging & Heavy Haul
Salt Lake City, UT
VICE PRESIDENT
AlanBarnhart
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Memphis, TN
TREASURER
DelynnBurkhalter
Burkhalter
Columbus, MS
ASSISTANT TREASURER
Bruce Forster
Rigging Gear Sales
Dixon, IL
ALLIED INDUSTRIESGROUP CHAIRMAN
DavidWittwer,
Hays Companies
Salt Lake City, UT
CRANE&RIGGINGGROUP CHAIRMAN
David Cowley,
TNT Crane & Rigging
Longview, TX
LADIESGROUP CHAIRWOMAN
CathyMoore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
TRANSPORTATIONGROUP CHAIRMAN
Geary Buchanan,
Buchanan Hauling &
Rigging
FortWayne, IN
SC&R FOUNDATIONOFFICERS
President:
RobertMoore,
NBIS
Atlanta, GA
Vice President:
Stephanie Bragg,
Bragg Companies
Long Beach, CA
Treasurer:
Jim Sever
PSC Crane & Rigging,
Piqua, OH
M
odernbusiness leaders
nowhave to consider
yet another component
of their operational day-to-day: brand
identity. Indeed, in the ageof seemingly
endless technological range anddepth,
andwithin a global advertisingmachine
thatmarketsmillions of campaigns to
billions of receptiveminds daily, your
company’s brand identity is as vital as
ever. It not only fuels the efficacyof your
short-termgoals, but sustains the vitality
of any long-term success youwish to
maintain.
Bydefinition, your brand identity
consists of any feature that identifies
your product(s) from your competition’s.
This certainly includes logos and
symbols, clever tag lines anddesign
aesthetics –but it doesn’t end there. Your
brand is also a concept – apresentation
to theworld– thatwill ultimately attract
your desired audience, distract that
audienceor literally gounnoticed. You’re
obviouslypushing for the first one.
Marketing analysts estimate that the
averageperson is exposed toover 5,000
business images andmessages daily.
Whichmeans one thingover everything
else: themargin for error as it applies
to your company’s brand identity gets
smaller by theday. Truthbe told, success
inour industry is directly linked to
safety, efficiency and innovation–which
in the long run, requires one’s brand,
one’s reputation, to reverberatewith even
greater strength.
Communication fatigue is aphrase
being thrown around in advertising these
days todescribe adesensitizationof
sorts that thepublic at large acquires as
a result of beingbombarded all daywith
marketingmessages. Consequently, folks
learn to ignore a lot of it.Whichbegs the
question:Howdoes a company (in any
industry) avoidbecoming lostwithin the
whitenoiseofmodern advertising?
There is perhaps nomore competitive
industry thanour own. SC&RA
represents someof theworld’smost
accomplished anddynamic companies –
operating inoneof themost demanding
industries on theplanet.We literally
shape theplanet.Needless to say, sticking
out in this crowd requires ameasured
combinationof proven capability, and a
recognitionofwhat customerswant and
need.
Contemporarybranding is less
about getting your audience toglance
in your direction, andmore about
attracting them to itwithmeasure and
purpose.Here are three effectiveways
todistinguish your brand and convert
potential customers into long-term
clients.
1
BE A THOUGHT LEADER:
While technological bombardment
undoubtedly creates a lot of white noise for
potential clients, asmentioned above, it’s
also an opportunity to separate yourself by
providing your audience with value-added
wisdom. This can take the form of regular
blog posts on your website, consistent
social media nuggets and even syndicated
articles or white papers. Themore that
people come to value your knowledge, the
more they’ll gravitate towards, and value,
your products.
2
BRAND CONSISTENCY IS KEY:
Stay on theme! Whatever you’re
advertising, whatever themedium you’re
using, make sure your message is focused,
consistent, synchronized and passionate.
There’s no use touting a skill you don’t
necessarily have, a product that hasn’t
yet proven itself or a piece of wisdom
you’re not confident with. Smart branders
hype the best parts of their business with
succinctness, and create a culture of belief
within theminds of their audience.
3
THEY’VE GOT NEEDS – YOU’VE GOT
SOLUTIONS:
Create a product, and an ad campaign,
that instills confidence in your target
audience by convincing them you’ve
considered their needs, and care about
their success. Don’t give them a reason to
look elsewhere by creating a product that
“pretty much everyone else ismaking.”
Distinguish yourself through innovation
and smart branding. Attract prospects to
your door with cutting-edge products, and
keep them coming back by surpassing their
expectations.
■
APRIL 2014
ACT
The power of your brand
powers your success.
EXECUTIVEVICE PRESIDENT
Joel Dandrea
5870 Trinity Centre
Parkway,
Suite 200
Centreville, VA
20120
Ph: 703-698-0291
Fax: 703-698-0297
Branded
