Welcome to Compositions, James DeKoven's column about brand communications. This time around:

• Offers and candy bars
• Who’s really green?
• Where I’ve been
• Album of the month

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Offers and candy bars
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Guys who own liquor stores have something on all of us. While they sit behind the counter and listen to the ballgame, customers pick up Snickers bars and Skittles and all sorts of other impulse buys. Meanwhile, we, the business-to-business types, have to endure a much longer sales cycle.

For sure, enterprise software, creative services, management consulting and other B2B items require lengthy consideration before the purchase. That’s why instead of expecting impulse buys, we should give a taste of what’s to come. We need to sell an offer.

An offer can be any type of give-away that has a perceived value and displays your expertise. A report, webinar, podcast, seminar, workshop, book. Offers are good for generating leads because, instead of asking prospects to open their wallets, you provide them with valuable information. The sales conversation begins without talking about selling. Examples:

- For a technology company, a complimentary report that includes 45 methods to improve supply chain efficiency.
- For a vitamin company, a complimentary book about how to reduce skin cancer risk.
- For a management consultancy, a complimentary workshop on how to create strong leadership from current staff.

Offers get a higher response than messaging that’s focused solely on the company because no one really cares about your company. No one’s interested in how you’ve been around since 1902 and have a reputation for great service and innovative products.

Instead, try a message that expresses the benefits of responding to the offer: Boost employee efficiency, reduce your manufacturing costs, improve your eyesight and so on. Then promote the offer through online marketing, on your web site, in direct mail and advertising. By giving prospects a taste, they’re more apt to listen to your message over time, moving them closer and closer to the sale.

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Who’s really green?
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In the book “Hip: The History”, author John Leland points out how corporations historically co-opt anything “hip” as a marketing tool. Jazz, The Beats, punk rock, surfing - all of their associated attributes have been used to brand and sell.

Now “Sustainability” has gone mainstream, and just about every company is proudly waving a green flag in their communications. Suddenly they’re devoted to healing Mother Earth, to making healthy products, to creating a better future for the children.

If I sound cynical about this, well, it’s because I am. So is the mass of consumers. True, many businesses do have pure intentions, but others are using the sustainability message as an obvious PR stunt. As such, sustainability is becoming diluted, just as beatnik idealism did in the late 1950s: the notion gets watered down, losing much of its authenticity and eventually its real meaning.

Problem is, people are increasingly interested in working with, and buying from, companies that care about the environment, yet there’s no clear way to distinguish the genuine from the poseurs. As I pondered the question, I decided to call David Steuer, VP of Creative of Act Now, a sustainability firm in San Francisco and a recent client.

David said, “There is a clear divide between companies who see sustainability simply as a reputation marketing tactic and those who see it as a new way to look at their entire business and to evolve their brands.
Truly sustainable companies are the ones who, instead of proclaiming themselves to be green, let others tell their story. Such is the case of Wal-Mart, a client of ours. They are building credibility by reaching out into the non-profit community with partners such as TransFair (Fair Trade), the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), and Environmental Defense.”

Indeed, as David points out, just because you say, or sincerely believe that you’re sustainable, doesn’t mean you are. So don’t rush and hire a copywriter to craft a nifty feel-good slogan. Let others validate your green status. Your brand, and your sales numbers, will be better off in the long run.

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Album of the Month
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Pair a criminally unappreciated soul legend with one of today’s most authentic rock bands and you get “The Scene of The Crime”. It’s the new record by Bettye LaVette, backed by the Drive By Truckers. This off-center combination actually makes a lot musical sense. Pleading, anguish-infused soul with just the right portion of rock swagger. For you purists like me, it’s even available on vinyl.

Until next time,

James