Great comments!

These are all great points.....and spot on. Thanks for sharing with my readers!

Social Networking and What It Means to Retail ...

Great Post! I'm having this discussion with various businesses who are trying to develop an online presence.

There is just so much confusion surrounding where to begin, where to start, and when you know where to start, what do you say?

I believe that if you have business online or website, that it's important to develop an online presence.

Social Networking allows us to build relationships. People don't buy from websites, they buy from people, so they need to know who you are.

Social & Business Networks are an important part of my online marketing efforts & I've learned that Social vs. Business networks do differ a little.

Social Networkers should look at these sites as going to a party.

You meet people, you start a conversation and if they like you and vice versa, you might invite them to pop by your place (your blog, your website) where they learn even more about you, your product or service and what really makes you tick. Yes, as a networker, you are there for a reason, but if you push your product or service before you even have both your feet in the door, you've been branded alright, - "the party crasher" (Who invited this guy?) People are at the "party" to have some fun, meet some neat people and maybe even get or give a phone number..............

Business Networkers should look at these sites more like going to a lounge after work.

Again, often, people want to push their business opportunity, service or product on you before they've even got up to the bar. You risk the cold shoulder, people are saying you don't tip, and before you know it, you too have been branded.... "Joe CEO" instead of "Ralph the round-buyer" Unfortunate, but people were at the "lounge" to relax, unwind, converse, share stories and perhaps exchange business cards (blog/website).....And predictability is soooo 1900's!

I say, approachability wins! Approachability establishes comfort, creates connections and builds TRUST.

For most people, BUYING is an emotional decision.

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The brand is the point, not the logo ...

Thanks for the kind words Robert.

The logo or identity (or marketing materials for that matter) should all be manifestations of the overall brand strategy and brand. Retailers, and any business, need to develop what they want to their brand to be (its essence, its personality traits, its promise to the customer, etc.) in order to determine what their logo looks like, what merchandise they offer, what their store experience is like, etc. Without a clearly defined brand, retailers won't be as successful as they could be.

Comments from a graphic designer ...

Hi Mike, great post.

Let me tell you the perspective of someone who came from the graphic designer side of branding. There was a point when all I did was create a pretty logo and a website and voilà, a brand! That was until clients started asking how that brand could actually be worth the value that I was asking. And you know what, they have a point. If a logo is just a logo and not a visual representation of the company's values, essence, personality and promise, then it actually has little value and not worth much. On the other hand, if the logo is a result of all that above, it is very effective in representing the company and builds significant value.

I would also like to add that a brand should also reflect the company's differentiator. If your brand does not represent how you are different than your competitors, then it is not effective enough.

Again, great post.

Robert Scozzari | www.CloverRoad.ca
Stand out from your competitors. Stand out to your prospects.

PowerPlate is an expensive gimmick ...

Sounds like a lot of hype:
http://blogcritics.org/scitech/article/the-healthy-skeptic-madonna-and-the/ ...