Building a Lovemark brand is far from easy.
It takes guts.
Why?
Because it means you’re on your own.
A Lovemark puts itself out there. It’s different. Unique.
It marches to its own beat.
And that’s scary. It’s a vulnerable place to be.
You risk rejection. Ridicule. Even alienation.
When you stand for something, you risk pissing people off.
So naturally, you second-guess yourself. You constantly ask yourself whether you’re doing the right thing.
Nothing’s quite as comfortable and effortless as following the crowd. Of doing what everyone else does.
Find what seems to be working, and just copy it.
Simple.
Monkey see, monkey do.
The truth is though, taking the path of a “me-too” brand is the biggest risk of all.
You’re virtually guaranteed to go unnoticed. In this day and age where attention is currency, that’s a death sentence.
In a world of dull, uninspiring vanilla brands, a Lovemark is cherry ripple and buttered pecan in Cointreau with truffle swirls.
It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s OK.
Those who do approve of the flavour will love it with a passion.
They’ll become part of your tribe. And they’ll be loyal beyond reason.
That’s the Lovemark way.
The message here is that to create a Lovemark that’s truly great, three things are essential.
The first is an authentic, unique, one-of-a-kind brand identity.
Second, that identity and its values need to be something that your audience can fall in love with.
From what I hear, Hitler was quite a unique individual in his day.
But I wouldn’t mind betting he didn’t get a lot of dates.
You feel me?
And third, you must have the conviction to stand by your brand’s identity and be prepared to shout its message to the world.
Like I said, that takes guts. But the rewards are worth it.
If you’re up for the challenge of your own Lovemark, check out how I can help you through my offerings below.
Lovemark: [lʌvma:k] n. an evolution of a brand that creates a deep and lasting emotional connection with its audience, inspiring love, respect and trust; a marketing concept intended to replace the idea of conventional brands.
#1 – Get started with a Lovemark Blueprint
If all you have right now is a great idea, or you’ve only just started out establishing a new brand and don’t yet have too much to show for it, the best place to start is with a Lovemark Blueprint. Here we formulate the most important aspect of your brand – its identity.
That includes its purpose, what makes it unique, its reason for existing, its vision, its personality, and who it’s for. With these vital pieces of the puzzle forming the foundation, your new Lovemark brand will be set to press all the right buttons and poised for greatness.
#2 – Revamp with a Lovemark Blueprint+
If you already have a brand that’s completely or partially online, but it’s still very new, it’s struggling to survive, or just plain dead in the water, a Lovemark Blueprint+ is where you need to start. Here we take a close look at two vital aspects of your brand – its identity and its online presence.
We start with a basic Lovemark Blueprint, exactly as described above. Then, in addition to this, we comb through your website and social media profiles and sniff out all the weak points and slip-ups.
Armed with all these insights, we then get about creating a new (or just updated) identity and a top level plan of attack for breathing life back into your ailing brand, and for boosting it up to Lovemark status where it belongs.
#3 – Make it real with a Lovemark Buildout
This is where the rubber meets the road. Armed with your brand’s master plan from either the Lovemark Blueprint or Lovemark Blueprint+, here it’s brought to life with the Lovemark Buildout.
This involves creating your Lovemark’s name and slogan (if necessary), its messaging and story, all website copy, social media profiles and strategy, its growth plan, and more. When we’re done you’ll have the foundation of a Lovemark that’s all set for world domination.
Why a Lovemark?
Lovemarks are based on a simple premise: human beings are powered by emotion, not by reason.
Customers who feel an emotional connection to a brand are loyal beyond reason, and willing to pay a premium for its products or services.
This emotional attachment overcomes competition, and is the key to long-term success in the marketplace.
Your Branding Questions Answered
Do you work with all types of brands?
Yes and no. I only work with smaller brands (5 employees or less), and prefer online brands or conventional brands with a strong online presence. I also prefer working with new or very young brands – there’s nothing quite as gratifying as seeing a budding upstart brand starting to take off in the world. During our introductory call we will talk about your brand and your situation, and I’ll let you know whether or not I think I can be of benefit. The last thing I want to do is to waste your time and money, so I’ll only take you on as a client if I’m sure that I can help your brand.
How do I get started?
The first step is just to get in touch. We will schedule a fifteen minute intro phone call, during which we will discuss your brand and what your requirements are. Depending on the situation, I’ll either let you know right away whether I can help, or I may need to do a bit more digging before making up my mind. Once we have both decided to go ahead I’ll advise you whether a Lovemark Blueprint or a Lovemark Blueprint+ is the better starting option for you.
How do I know which branding package is best for me?
The way it works is that you would start with either a Lovemark Blueprint or a Lovemark Blueprint+, depending on your situation. Naturally, we would discuss this during our introductory phone call. Once that work has been completed, you will have a top-level plan for how your brand can go forward. If at that point you would like to continue working with me you would then do a Lovemark Buildout. There we create all the essential foundational elements for your brand, such as its unique identity, USP, messaging, website copy, strategies, and so on.
Do I need to pay up front?
I will only ask you to pay 25% of the total fee up front, just as a gesture that you’re a serious client. Before getting started we will sign a working contract so that we both know what’s expected of each other. This contract will clearly lay out the terms for payment of the 25% deposit and the balance of the total fee.
How long will a branding job take?
A Lovemark Blueprint and a Lovemark Blueprint+ both start with an in-depth discussion session, and in each case the final work will be completed in two to three business days after that. A Lovemark Buildout will take no longer than 5 business days from start to finish.
Can I just hire you on a consulting basis for my brand?
Freelance consulting isn’t what I do. The difficulty with general consulting is that brand owners can quite often be mistaken about what help their brand actually needs, so things can get complicated pretty quickly. So as far as my branding services go, I only offer the three service packages described above. Each one covers specific tasks and has specific deliverables, so my process for working with brands is very structured and everyone knows what to expect.