"I've Got a Name" - Just Like Jim Croce Said

     There is such power in a name.  Whatever it is that we are talking about be it person, place, or thing, the name itself becomes an immediate descriptor.  A name allows people to make quick judgments and assumptions with relative ease.  Yes, there is the possibility of potential harm with such assumptions, but for our human mind it is a super-fast way to process a whole lot of information in a very short amount of time.  Knowing that this shortcut exists helps us to better understand the nuances of our interactions.  Customer interactions with a company blog are really no different, in fact finding the perfect blog name can be a real game changer in a branding strategy.  A well-chosen name can add a sense of credibility to new ideas.  A prestigious name can lend authority to new concepts.   A name can and should be flexible enough to grow with your business. 

     In Strategic Communication and Emerging Media our focus this week was on branding.  Honestly, I must admit this topic couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for me professionally.  I’ve just been given management of a wonderful program at work, I’m very passionate about it and have a lot of experience with the program itself.  My predecessor had established an informative weekly “things to do in the local area” email and for the past few years had been distributing it to an ever-growing list of over 1,500 people who sign up for this email distro.  Let me insert a quick shout-out to Mrs. Merritt, she has done a great job establishing a wonderful customer base.   When I took over leadership of the program I knew immediately I wanted to look at a new format for the general information and plan for adding much more in the future.  I was having all of these innovative ideas while keeping in mind a valuable tip from the weekly reading: “We need to spend more time appreciating what already exists; and less time agonizing over what else we can do (Sutherland, 2009).”  I envisioned a blog format, due in large part to my experience with this graduate school blog.  Let’s just say that after this week’s readings and bit more research on my own I’m excited to have a strategic plan for the launch of our company blog. 

     “The Happs” -- that was the name of the distro’d weekly email specializing in on base and off base community events that went out to our loyal customer base.  So what does “The Happs” mean you may be asking yourself.  Well the Urban dictionary defines it as a shortened version of asking ‘What's happening?' when trying to find out more information about what's going on.  When I looked a little closer there were additional tie-ins with the name.  Henry Harley Arnold, “Hap” as he was fondly known was a pioneer Airman.  He received permanent five-star rank as general of the Air Force, the first of such a commission to be ever granted by a Congressional act.  Interestingly, he was taught to fly by the Wright Brothers.  He was also the commander of the Army Air Forces in victory over Germany and Japan in World War II.   He personally contributed to many of the major milestones of development during the Air Force’s history until his retirement in 1946.  He died in 1950 at his ranch home, Valley of the Moon, near Sonoma, California.  Hap Arnold's name is perpetuated at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Arnold AFB, Tennessee.  A couple of side notes: 1) Sonoma is part of our Bay area local community; and 2) My last active duty assignment in the U.S.A.F. was at Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) at Arnold AFB, Tennessee.

                                                                   Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold

                                                                                                

     For all of the above mentioned reasons I think the blog name should carryover from the distro email and most definitely stay “The Happs”.  For the longest time I always thought that the brand WAS the name, and that branding was getting that name out in as many ways as possible.  Oh no, so not the case.  While the name is very, very important “branding has been characterized as the process of creating value through the provision of a compelling and consistent offer and customer experience that will satisfy customers and keep them coming back (Simmons, 2007)”.  So how does anyone go about branding a blog?  There are “three aspects of a successful brand:  1) a brand is dependent on customer perception; 2) perception is influenced by the added-value characteristics of the product; and 3) the added value characteristics need to be sustainable (Simmons, 2007)”.

     With that in mind and without further ado I’d like to share some insights learned about branding a blog.  A common strategic objective is to begin with the end in mind, in other words have a vision of what the company blog should achieve.  The ultimate goal for this blog is to transfer the established relationship between the organization and the customer base from a one-way, linear email method to an interactive non-linear communication process that can provide an engaging experience that will satisfy the customer’s wants and keeping them coming back for more from the blog brand, “The Happs”.  The blog brand will be infused in the title, the design, content, and basically every part of the customer’s experience. 

     In his article, “i-Branding: Developing the Internet as a Branding Tool,” Geoffrey Simmons shares research findings from an AT Kearney Report (2000) that characterizes the creation process of a “high-impact online customer experience as encompassing seven dimensions:

1)            Building communities

2)           Marketing connectivity easy

3)           Delivering compelling content

4)           Customizing the experience

5)           Embedding convenience

6)           Enhancing customer care

7)           Communication (2007)”.

     Simmons goes on to propose that there are “Four Pillars” necessary in the planning process of a successful branding campaign (2007).  These are: 1) Understand the customer; 2) Market communications; 3) Interactivity; and 4) Content. 

     Pillar I calls for understanding the customer.  It is here that trust is developed and a relationship is established.  The goal of Pillar I is to work toward a “long term, positive interaction” ensuring the customer’s needs are met.

     Pillar II covers marketing communications.  In this stage personalization of the blog will be key.  The goal is to engage the customers with your online environment.  Allow them to sign up for notifications of updated content and have the experience brought directly to them.  Under this pillar Simmons points out that the internet use in the marketing communication stage provides for three optimum conditions for effective online strategies, these are: presence; relationships; and mutual value (2007).  Presence deals with an effective draw, there must be content that is rich and interactivity to draw the customer to your blog.  Relationships are critical to the blog’s sustainability.  Mutual value means a win-win.  The company benefits through the opportunities to promote their tailored message and the customer benefits from exposure and interaction with interesting services, content, and ideas. The overarching goal of is to strive for non-linear communication with a free flow and exchange of information between the company and the customer base.

     Part III is all about interactivity.  Simmons notes that, “interaction with the customer is central to realizing the benefits a blog can provide in understanding customers and developing more personalized communications.”

     Part IV covers content.  Content includes more than just text it also includes visuals.  So it is important to add graphics, video clips, photos, and more throughout the customer’s experience in the blog.  Additionally, customers should know when to expect new content, it is important to keep a regular schedule.  Content needs to stay on brand thereby keeping the message consistent.  You also want to make it easy for the customer to share the content.  Finally, use the blog to link out to other communication strategies, like a Facebook or Instagram page or Twitter account.

     Integration and implementation of these “Four Pillars” is paramount to the success of branding a blog.   By incorporating these into the branding process value is created in the customer’s experience that will ultimately keep them coming back.  Additional goals for our blog is solid content and a branding strategy that will incorporate aspects and messages of our organization’s core programs which include: Relocation services, Transition assistance, Employment resources, a Key Spouse program, Air Force Aid, Personal Financial Readiness, an Exceptional Family Member Program, Information & Referral, and Volunteer program.

     Finally, since we have an established organizational website our blog will be joined there and not on a stand alone platform.  We already have a dedicated website with  www.travisafrc.com so we will be adding www.travisafrc.com/blog to our communication strategy.  Our direction is clear, we now have a branding the blog roadmap to proceed with our transition from weekly email to a broader more engaging online experience for our customers, who are at the heart of everything we do.

Strategically Yours,

Autumn

Works Cited:

Haygood, I.  (2015).  "10 Awesome Corporate Blogs from the Best Content Marketing Brands." Retrieved on 22 February 2017 from http://marketeer.kapost.com/best-corporate~blogs. 

Pintilie, D. (2016).  "How to Turn Your Blog Into a Popular Brand in 2016."  Retrieved on 22 February 2017 from  https://www.shoutmeloud.com/how-to-make-a-brand-for-a- blog.html.

Schaefer, M.  (2015).  "The 10 Best Big Company Blogs in the World."  Retrieved on 22 February 2017 from https://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/01/12/best-company-blogs.

Simmons, G.  (2007).  "i-Branding: Developing the Internet As a Branding Tool."  Retrieved on 20 February 2017 from  http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.troy.edu/docview/213163692?pq-origsite=summon.

Sutherland, R.  (2009).  "Life Lessons From an Ad Man."  retrieved on 20 February20117 from https://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_life_lessons_from_an_ad_man.