RE: Network 2020 - Marketing & Communications

It would be my considered opinion that we need to take a breath here, stand back and figure out what we are building here. Is what the Steering Committee wants to build, what our customers/market want?

Branding is not marketing.

Communications is not marketing.

Marketing is branding.

Marketing is communications.

Marketing is nothing more than 4 P's: Product; Price; Place; Promotion. Branding is part of the P's, as is communications.Marketing should be at the heart of all communications and branding, both play a major role in your success and failure. Unfortunately 'branding,' has come to the fore front of the marketing gurus of today, giving all the idea that it is the magic pill to all of the woes of business. May I remind you of the Edsel; Coke Classic I (which can be construed as a marketing failure or a brilliant marketing ploy), and fruit in beer.We need to know the product we are trying to put out in the marketplace.

We need to know who we are after with it. We then need to know how we are going to reach them, where they are, and with what message we will use.

The name of the organization will be an important part of that.

The name of the organization is part of the brand.

The name of the organization if chosen well, can be the catalyst for the organization.

The product with just a brand to it, is like a balloon with just air in it.

When someone pokes around to see what we have to offer and finds nothing behind the 'balloon,' the balloon and brand go pop, and the people kicking the tires go away as well, and are damned expensive to lure back.In today's virtual world, the web site will play an integral part in the whole equation, if produced with the customer in mind.Put the wrong material in the balloon that people are not looking for, the balloon may not explode, but the people will not be back for a second look.

Put the wrong website up that is not customer friendly, or with what the customer wants, we lose momentum.Yes, there is a lot of "Ready, Fire, Aim," on any new battlefield.

It usually leads to many of those so called, 'friendly fire issues.'

So my suggestion is to stand back take a breath and lets do this right get this right, and then launch it.