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William King asked:


A great branding campaign is an asset to your business and is sure to pull in repeat business. Here are the reasons why:

Inspires trust: –

A branded product or service tends to inspire confidence in people because there is the perception that the quality of service will be higher. This is usually because the branding makes the product or service easily identifiable and it becomes more important to the business to maintain a good reputation. People tend to view unbranded products with a little bit of suspicion due to the pervasiveness of branding in every sector of business. Retaining customers is a factor of trust, a brand is able to create in their minds.

Builds brand identity: –

Customers associate a certain image with a brand name product or service so in one sense, a business without branding is a business with no identity. Once a customer has purchased a product or service from a business and is satisfied with it, branding allows the customer to locate the business easily again and get repeat business. For instance, if you were to eat the best ice cream in the world at a little drive by ice cream place, you’re not likely to remember its name, or anything beyond the taste of the product. But with branding, it is likely that you will remember some other little detail that will help you find the place again or locate it in your own town.

Know what to expect: –

Along with identity, a major portion of repeat customer business comes from satisfying and living up to a set standard each time. Branding suggests to the customer’s mind that you have established certain standards and will deliver on these every time you sell a product or service. This means that the customer has an idea what to expect and comes back for the same experience again. One of the functions of retaining a customer is to provide the same level of service and branding carries the connotation that you will do that.

Growth with branding: –

Branding can be an essential part of the growth of a business. It is the backbone of expansion simply due to the fact that it provides you the opportunity to use the good image that you already have in place and replicate your success. For instance, going back to the earlier example, if you were to eat this great non-branded ice cream, you’d probably rave about it and then forget it after a while. If you were to eat one that was branded, you’d probably notice the next time you passed another ice cream place with the same branding and then become a repeat customer. You’d know that you could get this product at different places and would look for it closest to your own home.

Aspirational brands: –

In case of lifestyle brands, the repeat sale is about the experience and branding makes all the difference in retaining customers in this section of the market. If you are able to sell a great experience to the customer along with a great product or service, the customer is sure to come back and give you repeat business.



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Victor Epand asked:


Car stereos are very important for every kind of car. In fact it is one of the most popular tools used to provide entertainment in the car. There are many high-end versions available nowadays. They offer a varied range of features. They look trendy, and for that reason they are one of the best status enhancing features of modern cars.

There are manufactures that make and sell many popular brands of car stereos. In this article, we will discuss ten widely sold car stereo brands.

Boss

Boss is one of the most elegant manufacturers of car stereos. They are part of Roland. They are mainly popular for making electric guitars and other musical instruments. But they also makes good car stereos. Some of their popular models are, CD3055R, 506CA etc.

JVC

JVC a Japanese company formed in 1927. Now it has spread its business all over the world. They are famous in making all kinds of electronic goods such as car stereos. Some of their famous models are JVC KD-G405 car stereo player, JVC KD SV3105 etc.

Blaupunkt

This is another big name in the world of car stereos. It is a very old company, working from 1920. The head office of this company is located in Germany. Their popular models are Blaupunkt Casablanca MP56, Blaupunkt Melbourne SD27, Blaupunkt Nashville DAB35, Blaupunkt Vancouver CD36 etc.

Sony

Sony is another big name in the world of electronics. Sony was formed in the year 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. The original name of the company is Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo. They have a wide range of car stereos. Some of them are Sony Xplod CDX F7500, Sony CDX GT410U etc.

Alpine

The brand Alpine has a very good reputation in the world of car stereos. Some of their famous products are Play loud bass engine stereos, DVD car navy, V Amplifiers, GPS Navigation systems, CD, MD, cassette player, mp3 etc. This brand is very famous for CD changers.

Becker

Becker is another popular brand. This specific brand makes a wide range of CD changers, CD players in car navigation system etc. all of their car stereos are made of good technologies. It has got a very good combination of CD player, RDS tuner, navigation system and all of them are in one unit.

Clarion

This is a newly emerged brand. Their car navigation system and Digital audio Broadcasting system have become very popular. Its CD, mp3, MD and cassette player are also very popular. The Clarion DC628 CD changer is a popular model of this brand.

Kenwood

This popular brand has a wide range of car stereos. It has not only pioneered in CD changers, MD and cassette player but also in woofers, subwoofers, speakers etc. Some popular models of Kenwood are KDC 309A, KDC MP205 etc.

JBL

This brand makes brilliant quality amplifiers, loudspeakers, and subwoofers.

Grundig

This is another brand whose car CD changers have a huge fan follower. Their MCD 46 CD changer is immensely popular.



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Craig Thornburrow asked:


Today, the world that we live in has become extremely appearance oriented, especially when it comes to name brand clothes and name brand perfume. Everyone wants to look good all the time, not only at his/her best. Anywhere you go, you are sure to see designer clothes, shoes and perfume advertisements. In the past the clothes we wore or the perfume we had on did not matter much, but today is all about being in style and smelling as good as we look.

Many times when we go shopping, we purchase perfume based upon smell, as well as many other things we buy. When buying perfume, it is all about essence, as is the world we live in. Advertisements for designer perfumes, especially those on television, look so good that they all must smell good. Plenty of people rush to stores to smell the latest perfume so that they don’t miss out on something that has potential goodness. Even the simplest things such as air fresheners have a certain high class smell that we all want. Some of these fresheners have a scratch and smell label so that consumers can smell before they buy.

Recently, or ever since name brand perfume has come about, the price tag that comes along with this smell in a bottle can be highly costly. Most of us assume that we are paying for the name and nothing more. However, price is also influenced by things such as how long the smell lasts and how powerful the perfume is. With such high costs, we ask ourselves if it’s really worth it.

Unfortunately, there is no clear cut answer. What we do know is that the designer perfumes most definitely are much more distinctive than the off brand and imitation perfumes that exist. Top line perfume is usually paired with a name that provides a high quality scent that is sure to attract people. It is safe to say that top notch perfume will most definitely have a longer lasting as well as stronger odor. With the not so expensive perfume types, you should realize that the odor will not stick around as long.

Why is this so? Simply, higher-end perfume is usually created with unique oils and scents that are made to last longer on the skin. With these types of perfumes, the ingredients have a much higher quality than the perfume you can buy off the shelf. Perfumes you can pick up very inexpensively are usually made of simple smells, while more expensive perfume can take years to create. Designers want to make sure that their perfume is attractive and that the ingredients are combined correctly.

All of the experimenting and trials that come along with high-end perfume is what usually makes the price so high. Many people are able to dash out the money to buy perfume that is sure to be of high quality and worth the value. Most of society is willing to pay a higher cost for the perfect scent.

Though name brand perfume is definitely much more expensive than the imitation perfumes, it is worth the money to have the authentic product that will last and not lose its pleasing aroma after an hour or so.



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Scott Lindsay asked:


There is a new concept in branding: online branding. If you want to know exactly what that means, you only have to take the traditional definitions of branding and adapt them to the Web. Then you’ll get a simple definition: online branding makes your visitors believe that you are the only answer to their problems.

Every business has a brand; so don’t go around saying “I don’t need a brand”. You have a business, the business has a name, and you’ve created a website, so… welcome: you are in the world of the online brands. It’s nice here: brands evolve, brands decline… it’s a tough world, but if you can manage to create a powerful trademark you are in for a great treat.

Why Is Online Branding Important?

An online brand is the experience a consumer has with you and your products. You have to make your clients feel good about their choice.

Online branding is not about placing your company logo on the upper left corner of a web page. Your slogan could sound all mighty for you, but slogans are made to be spoken: it’s hard to do that online without annoying your visitors. Writing your slogan in bold letters may work, or it may not. So how do you succeed if two of the most important branding elements are doomed? They are not. They just don’t work online as fast as other tools.

Brands should trigger emotional feelings that will determine consumers to buy. A good slogan could work, but it is not enough to have a slogan if the contents of your websites are not supporting its message. So what is your message? What should your potential clients really know about your brand? Is it reliable? All brands assert the same. Is it the best on the market? When it comes to an online brand people just need to know the real advantages and benefits.

At Burger King you “feel the fire”, Coca-Cola… you “love it!” Philips is about “sense and simplicity” and Panasonic gives you “ideas for life”… All these global brands have something in common: they back-up their slogans with powerful online and offline branding efforts. If you look at their websites you’ll notice they are all incredibly designed, user friendly and rich in valuable information. For example customers landing on a Philips page understand right away what the “sense and simplicity” motto defines. So when you build up your online brand make your values stand out.

Creating an Online Brand

Online branding is a science because the Web is evolving faster than brands. It is hard to build up an online brand, but not impossible. What do your customers first think of when they see the name of your company online? If your answer is “nothing” you are on the wrong path. When you build a brand online you have to force it and reinforce it. Force your customers to grasp it and once they do, remind them of their choice: newsletters, articles, press releases, emails, free giveaways and so on.

You cannot create an online brand if you disregard a few important aspects such as understanding your market and the reflection of business values through your brand. Success comes in little steps – branding is still a time-consuming and costly process. Yet online, there are some free opportunities. However, unless you are a branding expert yourself, you need professionals to take care of your branding campaigns.



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Ontarian Hawkins asked:


Starting a business online can be quite frightening without the proper means to get the word out and get it out quickly. Let’s face it, branding yourself online may be the smartest marketing move you will ever make in the history of your career. Many probably would argue that leading with whatever company you are promoting is the best way to go, however I beg to differ. Leading with a company instead of your true authentic self is the same as selling, and majority of people in this world, especially on the internet don’t like to be sold. So, forget about branding your company and focus on branding you as an individual. People don’t join companies, they join people first and it would only be wise to “pep up” your identity so others will know and trust who you are as a person. Furthermore, here are 3 exciting tips needed to branding yourself along with your business:

1. Identify Yourself–Make sure you have a website or websites with pictures of yourself all over them. Pictures are worth a thousand words. Be authentic. Let people know who you really are so they can better relate to you. Tell people about your history and where you came from, your hobbies, interest, etc. The key here is to just be you. Brand you and not your primary company. A great way to identify yourself online is to start Myspace Page about who you are and not about your business. Make your page stand out to your prospects leaving them no hint of bad vibes about you as a real person.

2. Eye Catching Content–Content is king; I’m sure you heard that before because it’s true. Content controls the central nervous system of your prospects. Relevant content creates action that makes a potential prospect pull out their wallet and join you in your venture. The best way to turn potential prospects off is to try to pitch them on joining your deal. Instead, offer free candy, free information, or free content that they can read. If you are able to trigger at least 3 of the 5 senses of a prospect like hear, touch, and sight with good content that your prospect, you are on the right track. Offer free PDF’s, 800#s, or anything that veers away from selling. One thing I can promise you is when a potential prospect suspects you are trying to pitch them they will run away fast. Don’t forget, you’re in the sharing business, not the selling business.

3. Create Videos–Taking advantage of social media is the “New Sexy” on the internet today. Tons of marketers are setting up their own broadcasting site at YouTube. What a dynamic way to express yourself live and in action than through a television type format. Rest assured, people will relate to you better if you’re talking to them as they will be able to see your sincerity through your facial expressions.

Branding yourself in your company is something most marketers won’t grasp until they realize not many people are following them. In order to have organizational architecture, which means having people follow you no matter what while duplicating your talents, you have to have the skills necessary to brand yourself effectively without pitching your business. Marketing boils down to others coming to trust you because of who you really are.



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David Brooks asked:


There are several major companies that manufacture custom window treatments.  In alphabetical order they are: Bali, Comfortex, Graber, Hunter Douglas, Kirsch and Levolor.  Most people are fairly unaware of the brand names in this industry.  It is nothing like automobiles or other well known consumer products.  And, to be sure, there are other smaller manufacturers that produce cheaper, ready-made blinds and shades.  For example, if you went to the Home Depot and bought a ten dollar mini blind, it is most likely made in China by some faceless, unknown company.

These manufacturers all have slightly different positions within the market, have been in business for different lengths of time and specialize in different things. It should also be noted that each brand offers window treatments at different prices levels.  From most expensive to least expensive, the brands should be listed as follows: Hunter Douglas, Graber and Kirsch (similar), Comfortex and Bali.

The largest company, by far, is Hunter Douglas, which is actually a multi-national company based in the Netherlands.  They are also probably on of the most recognizable window treatment brands in the world.  They are also generally the most expensive.  But, if you want the top of the line window treatment, this is the brand for you.  Hunter Douglas pretty much invented lightweight aluminum blinds, also called Venetian blinds.  And, they have many other innovations the most notable of which is cellular shades launched in 1985, under the brand name, “duette honeycomb shades.”  The company’s origins go back to 1919 but it wasn’t until 1946 that they started making window treatments, the aforementioned aluminum mini blinds.  Their US manufacturing headquarters are in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 

Next up is Bali.  However, Bali is actually a brand name of a larger company called, Springs Window Fashions.  The headquarters of this company are in Middleton, Wisconsin but they also manufacture some of their window treatments in Mexico.  Springs also sells two other brands of window treatments, Graber and Nanik.  And, the company manufactures blinds, shades and curtains for retailers that are labeled as private label or as a “house-brand.”  It is likely that if you bought a house brand from a major retailer, online or brick and mortar, it is a Springs product.   

Comfortex was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Maplewood, New York, which is near Albany.  Comfortex is now a wholly-owned, independent subsidiary of Hunter Douglas.  The company also has a manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona.  Comfortex is a company that prides itself on innovation, especially in the area of energy-efficient window treatments, such as cellular shades, cellular vertical blinds and others.

Levolor, next to Hunter Douglas is one of the most recognizable names in the window treatment industry.  The company was actually founded in 1914, and was probably best know for it 1 inch mini blinds, also know as micro blinds.  Today the company is a division of the multi-billion dollar consumer products company, Newell Rubbermaid. 

The manufacturing headquarters for Levolor is in High Point, North Carolina.   

Kirsch is another company with a long history; it was founded in 1907 where it started by manufacturing curtain rods.  An interesting side note, all the curtain rods in the movie, “Gone With The Wind” were Kirsch rods.  There products have also been featured in other movies.  It seems odd to me that a company with such a long and rich history would be so unknown.  By 1923, the company built half million square foot manufacturing plant in Sturgis, Michigan.  And, then in 1956, the company added another 250,000 square feet of assembly and storage space to their headquarters.  Today, Kirsch, which is also a division of the Newell Rubbermaid Company, offers a complete line of quality, custom window treatments. 

Though there is a range of price from, let’s say, Hunter Douglas to Bali, each manufacturer builds a good product.  Much like an automobile, the difference is in the details, options and internal parts.  You can’t really go wrong with any one brand; it just depends on your tastes and your budget.

So there you have it, an introduction to the world of custom window treatments and the brands behind them.  As a follow up, I will have to do an exciting, ground-breaking piece on the history aluminum mini blinds or shutters. Stay tuned.  – David Brooks



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