Branding That Increases Sales

We’re back with Bill Schley, the New York Times Bestselling Author and award-winning Brand Specialist. I’ve gotten to know Bill well over the past few months, working with him on the launch of his new online program, The Brand Titans MasterCourse. I invited Bill to come back because I’ve gotten really intrigued by his approach to branding. Anyone else in direct marketing will find it intriguing, too, because there’s a seamless connection between what we do and what he does. I have to say he’s the first branding expert I’ve run across who not only states the purpose of branding is to set a company apart to maximize sales… … but also who has a proven system to show anyone in any business the exact steps to take to do just that. Bill’s been at it for more than 30 years, after getting his foundation at the legendary New York agency Ted Bates and Company, headed earlier by the great Rosser Reeves. And companies are counting on Bill even today to help them stake their claim in the competitive marketplace. This year, he’s helping a high-eight-figures conglomerate in a very hot tech sector get their branding in tip-top shape. And a tiny startup he recently branded has been scooped up by a division of a large publicly traded company, which is looking at pouring millions of dollars into the recently acquired startup, thanks to the branding Bill initially provided for it before the acquisition. After going through his course and the bonuses in great detail, I can say with confidence that any copywriter or business owner can get a lot out of what Bill had to say today. He started by explaining the conditions that make the correct branding of a business increase its sales — something I believe every copywriter and business owner needs to know. I’ve actually ended up rebranding products on the last two copy critiques I’ve done, as only part of the work with my clients, just based on what I’ve learned working with Bill. Bill went on to clear up the widespread confusion — even among many so-called marketing “experts” — about what is a brand, and what is not. Following from that, he explained the mistakes people are typically making in branding, especially today, where there are some dangerous trends that woo people into going for euphoric feelings about their brands, instead of thinking about the customer first, and what message is going to make them curious and increase their desire for specific products and services. Then Bill shared some instructive stories about brands he has built (one was worth over one billion dollars, not just according to Bill, but also according the the company’s chairman). He also gave a few important tips and guidelines for building your own brand. And, naturally, he told us all about his course, which provides an easy-to-follow, step-by-step roadmap for building a brand for any business. You can find out more about his program, the Brand Titans MasterCourse, at https://garfinkelcoaching.com/brandingDownload.