Includes a simple way to evaluate the power (or lack of power) of your brand!

The world of business is changing at the speed of light these days. That means that your business’s brand can become outdated faster than ever – whether your company is new or time-tested.Your brand is your business’s image—the first thing that customers or potential customers think of when they see your company name, logo or products. A strong brand identity is crucial to successful marketing, because without it, your business won’t stand out from the pack.

How can you tell if your brand needs a refresh? Often, we’re so close to our own businesses that it’s hard to see when our image needs a change. To get some feedback, start by recruiting people you think can be impartial and honest about your brand. These could include friends, family, existing customers or people in your target market. You can even ask your employees.Next, gather all the marketing materials that convey your brand—from your logo to brochures, business cards, product packaging and your website. Ask your focus group to give you their first impressions of your brand.·         What words or feelings come to mind when they see the marketing materials?·         Do the materials convey what your company offers?·         Do they convey the advantages your company has over the competition?If your business has a physical location such as a restaurant, retail store or office where clients visit, make sure to ask your focus group to assess how well that location conveys your brand, too.In addition to evaluating your own brand, you’ll also want to look at your competitors’ marketing materials. While you don’t want to copy them, you should pay attention to the brand image they’re conveying. If you notice, for instance, that all your competitors have clean and simple websites while yours is complicated and fussy, maybe it’s time to make a change.Also assess what elements are missing from your competitors’ brands that could offer points of differentiation for your brand. For example:·         Does your product or service offer benefits that differ from your competitors’ benefits?·         Does your product or service solve a problem your competition isn’t solving?·         Do you offer faster service, better guarantees or better return policies than your competition?·         Do you have specific suppliers or sell brands that your competition doesn’t?·         Does your product have a unique manufacturing edge—for instance, is it “made in the U.S.A.” or handmade by artisans in African villages?

Evaluate your brand once a year, or whenever you add new products and services. For example, a restaurant that started out serving only breakfast and lunch but later adds dinner needs to make sure their branding reflects the dinner menu. An accountant who originally focused on business accounting but later added individual tax return preparation needs to be sure her brand speaks to both clienteles.Once you’ve tweaked your company’s brand so that it’s fresh, current and appealing, update your marketing plan to detail how you will spread your brand message through online marketing, your website, social media, public relations, advertising and collateral print materials.

Kaplan’s Closing

See the TV News Story here:  Kaplan\’s Furniture Closing

David Mayers, Owner, Kaplans Wilkes Barre PA

WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP — After more than 100 years in business, another iconic store in the Wilkes-Barre area is shutting its doors for good. Kaplan’s Furniture on Mundy Street is going out of business.

The store has been David Mayers’ life for the past 37 years.

“I think I remember when he was a little boy,” Mayers told a customer.

He’s one of the co-owners of Kaplan’s Furniture near Wilkes-Barre, but now, he said he’s ready to take a break.

“At this point, we have no one really that wants to take over the business, and I’m retiring and reaching retirement age at 62, and I’m ready to get out,” said David Mayers.

So after three generations and more than 100 years in business, Kaplan’s on Mundy Street is closing.

“The old places are just vanishing. It’s a bloody shame that we have to lose them all, but it’s happening and there’s nothing we can do,” said Joe Barkovitz, of Wilkes-Barre.

Mayers’ said the economy also played a part in his decision to close. He said manufacturer’s prices are rising, but he can’t raise store prices because of the nearby competition.

“This is the furniture capital of Wilkes-Barre, this area, so we’ve always had a lot of competition,” said Mayers.

Now he’s giving nearby Ashley’s and Laz-E-Boy a run for their money by offering a going out of business sale.

Some people were shopping at the store for the first time on Thursday because of the going out of business sale. Others were shopping there because they’ve bought furniture there for decades.

The customers include Judy Morgan from Mountain Top. She’s looking for chairs for her mom and her Aunt Maggie, who bought her bedroom set here.

“Her bedroom set, 64 years old, and she still has it,” said Morgan.

As a local business owner herself, Morgan said she’s sad to see Kaplan’s go.

“Big business could be good, but small business is really good,” said Morgan.

Mayers said Kaplan’s will be open until everything is sold. He expects the store to close sometime in March. That would be just a month after the expected closing of Bartikowsky Jewelers in downtown Wilkes-Barre.