I’m in Seattle today – walked a couple blocks from my hotel to a salon. In those two blocks I was panhandled six times. Times are tough.
But it got me thinking. This is a form of marketing (and I mean no disrespect to the growing homeless problem). But if you are forced (or is many cases choose) to work the streets for cash, you have lots of competition. Here’s what I saw:
1. A kind of scary looking guy holding out a cup.
2. Two teenagers with a cardboard sign that read “Conducting Human Compassion Experiment”. Clever.
3. A very jovial man who complimented everyone that walked by. Big smile, and holding out the lid of a cardboard box (like the kind printer paper comes in). He loved my hair (told me that coming and going) but it felt weird to “tip” the guy for a compliment. Right?
4. A young girl with career limiting facial piercings and tattoos and wild wild hair (even by my standards) playing the violin that could land her a symphony position. She was amazing! Also had an adorable dog with a red bandana around his neck.
5. Cardboard sign that read: Cold and broke.
I could see all five of these people if I stood in the middle of the intersection (which would not be a good idea) but you get the point.
Again, I am hesitant to write about this, and even ran it by some friends last night who encouraged me to do so – to make a point.
Brand is your reputation. Period. We all have a brand. And in this economy it’s important to figure out what that is – not only for your business, but for yourself.
The 2020 Vision of Marketing 
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March 18, 2009 at 7:12 am
Credit Union Warrior
Part of me wonders if “reputation” was misused – I mean, do panhandlers get repeat business? Are they building relationships?
Each of the people you mention have positioned themselves in a manner that will produce a unique reaction. Based on how that position resonates with passersby (customers), donations (sales) can be won or lost. The emotions that your examples instantly produce, whether it be empathy, laughter, ridicule, pity, sadness, or anger – can literally be the difference between life and death.
Staying away from the obvious humanitarian issue here, my takeaway from your post is to simply consider what emotions our appearance, communication style, and mannerisms create in others. Is the reaction you are getting from a personal, professional, or organizational standpoint consistent with what you desire? Are you getting a reaction at all? These are important considerations in a crowded market.
March 18, 2009 at 7:13 am
Christian Mullins
Denise,
While I was reading your post, my thoughts drifted to certain credit union touch points (web, branch, front line employees) and I found myself attaching my own experiences on both sides of the teller line to each of the individuals you passed. Your post, from my perspective, was well worth reading.
Now…
As the President would say: Let me be clear.
I am not saying that employees, branches, or websites should have a certain look; variety, after all, is the spice of life. I am saying that your touch points tell both members and potential members a lot about your credit union, good, bad, or otherwise, and consistent effort is likelier to yield consistent results, regardless of which direction your credit union is headed. How you choose to frame that direction is entirely up to you…
But if your credit union is most like the scary looking guy with a cup, it may be time to try a different path.
March 18, 2009 at 7:29 am
Denise Wymore
@CUWarrior – thank you for making my point resonate! I was googling Umpqua Bank this morning to see how they were weathering this economic storm. You know, they are the darlings of the banking world. No one can touch them when it comes to brand.
Well, they took some TARP money and bought a failing bank with it. They do everything right when it comes to branch merchandising – and yet folks attacked them on the TARP issue – specifically their “Free Ice Cream” trucks that they use to attract new business to new locations. Taxpayer funded Ice Cream?
But you know what – Umpqua stuck to their brand. Some people are pissed, but now more than ever, we need free ice cream and that’s their reputation.
Branding is a lesson in active restraint. Get it, protect it, grow it.
March 18, 2009 at 7:41 am
Denise Wymore
@Christian,
LOL! You are SO right about touch points being consistent. Most credit unions do not “brand” themselves in a consistent manner.
When I was at First Tech CU I had a “branding board” in my department. Anything the member saw (website, brochures, debit card design, form letters) got tacked up on that board. If it didn’t “match” it didn’t go out. Such a simple technique – you can still be individual at a branch, but it has to “match”
It was my own attempt at HGTV meets “What Not to Wear.”