Leadership 2008: Branding Your Business

Successfully branding a business emboldens companies to compete on a level that transcends a fancy logo, hollow slogan or posh marketing. The green industry professionals behind thriving businesses have figured out not only what separates their operations from the market competition, but how to communicate this uniqueness and create an emotional connection with both existing and new customers. After all, consumers define the brand; it’s not what you say it is, it’s what they say it is. 
 
Consumers are exposed to approximately 5,000 marketing messages every day. Your brand should celebrate your company’s strengths. Consumers only pay attention to those messages they can relate to – for example, trust, quality and reliability in lawn care services – so unless you stand out, you’re wasting your time and money.
 
In an extremely competitive green industry, one of the most important things you can do to brand your business is to integrate your brand strategies at every point of public contact.  Since a solid positioning will be lived throughout an organization, involve your team from the very beginning of brand development. Begin by asking them how they view the brand, especially if they have frequent customer interaction. Every employee must embrace the personality of your organization – your competitive rallying cry – in every action and behavior, from leadership to marketing to customer service.

There may be dozens of other lawn care companies in your market, so you must find your niche. For example, are you one of the largest national lawn care companies with thousands of satisfied customers? A small business owner paying special attention to customer service? A start-up company using innovative technology to save the customer money on the backend? It’s not just one element, but a collection of experiences, that shapes a customer’s perception of your business. 
 
Although robust company brands are essential for growth, we at Bayer Environmental Science urge you to also consider how your brand reflects on the green industry as a whole. As an example, think about a careless LCO who misdiagnoses a property and responds indignantly when the problem persists.  Compare that to an LCO who kindly responds to customer concerns and consults his or her local extension office to properly identify and treat the problem. The customer will probably never re-hire the former company. But, worse yet, he or she may be inclined to associate that negative experience with the entire green industry, sharing that incident with family, friends and neighbors. On the flip side, the customer should only have praise for the latter company and respect for the collaboration among professionals.
 
We at Bayer hope that with continued education and preparation, we can work collectively toward a greater green industry brand. As always, when you’re Backed by Bayer, you’re getting all of the science and support that comes with it. So you know when you’re buying from Bayer, you’re not just getting trusted results; you’re investing in the future of your industry.
 
As we strive to educate an inquiring public, we must continue to put our best face forward as an industry.  Bayer is proud to support organizations such as PLANET, RISE and Project Evergreen that are assisting professionals in unifying the industry. Now more than ever, consumers are taking an active role in defining brands. Consider how your brand is helping to make a positive impact on the green industry as a whole because, together, we need to continue to be seen as indispensable and responsible caretakers of the community and environment. 

Neil Cleveland
Director, U.S. Green Business
Bayer Environmental Science