OK, so we’ve just about hit the midway point of 2018, as incredible as it may seem. Time to focus on following through with those business plans and plow through the third quarter with a vengeance prior to the holiday season. And perhaps, just maybe, it might be time to revisit your marketing plans at this mile marker in the calendar year.
I have a wish for the office technology dealership community. As you look toward expanding your customer footprint in order to gain more net-new business, it might be wise to take a long, hard look at the sign hanging above the front desk in your lobby. What does your name say, literally? Now, what does that mean to you? More importantly, how do potential clients view that name?
If you can trace a positive, direct correlation between the first and last questions from above, congratulations. This means your name is synonymous with a product and service offering and is readily identifiable to current customers and prospects. It’s on the tip of people’s tongues and the brand is recognized throughout your geographic/customer base and on various social media platforms.
But for many dealerships across the country, there’s a crisis of identity. Far too many names jumble for a composite of nonspecific terms that, taken as a whole, fail to communicate anything in particular. Office Business Systems Solutions Digital Products Technology (the Seven Deadly words)…feel your eyes gloss over and slowly form those concentric circles that indicate the reader has slipped into a hypnotic state.
Changing with the Times
I apologize now for offending a large segment of the dealer population—that is not my intent. I’m sure that many of the existing names were carved out during the 1980s and 1990s, when dealers were ridding themselves of the typewriter, ribbon and calculator associations to evoke a more appropriate connection with copiers and MFPs. Herein lies the rub: Every 5-10 years or so, your product and service portfolio is going to endure a transformation. The growth of MPS, MNS and other managed services, as well as ancillary offerings that may or may not stick long-term, proves that point. But something else is invariably around the corner.
My advice to you is to stop chasing the description and create a brand that will transcend time and offerings. Whether you’re selling copiers or artificial intelligence capabilities in 2025, do a deep dive into your branding initiatives to create a moniker that will be unique, readily identifiable and perhaps a little more creative. You can build the name around your culture and reputation.
This exercise has its limits. In my nearly 20 years covering the commercial printing beat, there was a movement afoot to rid the word printing from names—as if it were a taboo word—because these companies didn’t want to pigeonhole themselves as mere printers. I won’t shame the guilty parties, but a number of firms resorted to techy-sounding, fusion words that elicited a common response…what the hell is that?
Keep it Simple
The critical aspect in a renaming is to have at least one word that is readily identifiable, and that can easily be solved by using the founder’s (or current owner’s) name, in part or whole. EO Johnson Business Technologies is an example of a well-known brand that has two of the aforementioned nebulous terms, but many people simply refer to the dealer as EO Johnson. DEX Imaging, Marco, Visual Edge Technology…yes, they’re all bigger players, but the name jumps out at you, and you can readily identify these firms. Fisher’s Technology, Stargel Office Solutions, Eakes Office Solutions, Kelley Imaging Systems and Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office all use some of the Seven Deadly words in their names, but their brands are strong because they lead with a unique name. Modern Office Methods (MOM) wins creativity points for the acronym.
In short, you cannot become a household name with a brand that is bereft of personality. Or, at the very least, if you have enjoyed much success with a brand that doesn’t have that point of differentiation, that success has come in spite of your indifference to branding. Look at it this way: If your name is merely a combination of the Seven Deadly words, chances are your customers won’t even remember the old name in a year or two should you choose to rebrand.
As you revisit your marketing plans going forward, consider how a rebranding can make for a memorable and dynamic market approach.
