First impressions count. Particularly when it comes to sales conversations. And even more when you’re engaging with new prospects for the very first time. So it helps if you can begin shaping these impressions before they actually meet you!
This is where branding and wider marketing / audience engagement efforts can deliver big.
Get it right and the words and actions you use help create a positive feel around your capabilities, your expertise, and your Thermo King credentials.
That said, what can you be doing to get things right? What are the basic factors you need to have covered? And what are the top 5 brand hacks you can follow to make sure you’re on the right path? Let’s find out.
Hack #1 Build on your strengths
Hack #2 Infuse your story with personality
Hack #3 Make sure your voice is heard
Hack #4 Always be consistent
Hack #5 Dial up the interest
Hack #1 Build on your strengths
No company is strong everywhere. Not you, and not the local competition. That said, you’re going to have a pretty strong idea of where your strengths are, and where you can smash rivals out of the park.
Building your basic brand narrative demands an assessment of where you enjoy a distinct advantage, and those areas a competitor has the lead. Agree your top three, find a way to connect together under a thought leadership banner, and away you go.
The good news here is that by being part of the Thermo King Dealer Network, you can stay up to date (via the Stay Fresh and Dealer of the Future platforms) with all the latest technologies and insights from Europe and across the globe. That means you can keep your story fresh and updated when necessary.
Hack #2 Infuse your story with personality
Think about the key points to be conveyed by your company’s ‘story’:
- You offer proven expertise in the field of transport refrigeration
- Your team is highly trained and proficient - and can be trusted to deliver
- This expertise means customers get the best equipment for the best price
The challenge however is that it can be hard to differentiate these values versus the competition. This is where personality comes in, and communicating a sense of what’s unique about the team. So instead of talking about capabilities:
- Detail in your marketing literature the individuals who collectively make up your business
- Put these technicians in the spotlight, and highlight their skills and experience (makes for an interesting story to post via LinkedIn or Facebook)
- Make sure all your client emails and letters feel personalized – with added guidance and advice whenever possible
Hack #3 Make sure your voice is heard
With a team full of experienced operatives comes a wide range of opinions on what best practices look like. To these are added your fleet consulting views, and all that insight and experience for helping Fleet Managers make the best decisions.
So why not put this knowledge to work in your branding? It’s the confident play to infuse your marketing with helpful, practical advice. What’s more, an active voice helps demonstrate your experience – and that you know what you’re talking about.
That’s why we always recommend dealers consider the different interfaces they have with customers, and to integrate this experience at every opportunity. Social media is a good example, and using a platform like LinkedIn to:
- Post regular blogs/short stories on your position versus the latest trends
- Highlight useful tips learned from recent customer engagements
- Follow hashtags (#) or join relevant groups to listen in on ‘hot’ topics
- Start conversations with your audience on topics that matter to them
- Connect to people you meet at exhibitions and events to grow your professional network
Hack #4 Always be consistent
Consistency starts with values. Every company has them. These can be values that can form a commitment to offering transparent costs and advice (trust). Or values that show a determination to keep customers ahead of the game (innovation), or to always offer the best deals available (fairness).
Whatever they are, you should always look to consistently promote them to your audiences. Do that and you convey a sense of purpose, as well as a reason customers would want to work with you. It helps here if your business is focused on a specific industry or challenge – such as the work Transportkoeling is doing in the pharma space.
Plus there’s consistency of branding, and of the standard use of aspects such as your company’s ‘look-and-feel’ alongside Thermo King branding. This is important for making you look exactly what you are: a proven Thermo King dealer who can be trusted to deliver.
Hack #5 Dial up the interest
When any branding or marketing activity is aimed at generating sales, ask yourself the question: “what’s going to get a potential customer to meet with us?” Think through how you should structure the information being presented, while keeping in mind:
- For prospects, detail enough high level benefits to justify a meeting
- Hold back information – that you would rather discuss in person
- Look to excite and intrigue – rather than giving them everything in one go!
It’s here that branding should be seen in its purest form: a conversation starter. That’s why it helps to front load ‘door opening’ conversations with your stand out benefits – and save the detail for when face-to-face with an interested prospect.
