Ulli Appelbaum, How to Position Your Brand — InnovaBuzz 552
Ulli Appelbaum — First The Trousers, Then The Shoes
Our guest in this episode is Ulli Appelbaum, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of First The Trousers Then The Shoes, a brand strategy, research, and innovation boutique specialized in brand positioning and messaging, as well as strategy development. Ulli has developed a unique positioning development methodology, that is outlined in his book The Brand Positioning Workbook.
In our conversation Ulli talked to me about
- The definition of a brand as all the associations we have with a specific offering
- Strategy as the first step of defining a brand and our marketing
- Strategic storytelling that engages customers.
Listen to the podcast to find out more.
Listen to the Podcast
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Show Notes from this episode with Ulli Appelbaum, First The Trousers Then The Shoes
Key points and takeaways from this episode include:
- A brand is the sum of all the associations we have with a specific product, service or company.
- The first step in defining a brand and in marketing is strategy.
- Deep customer focus is understanding what our customers want AND how we can bring this to life for our customers in a way that is unique and fully aligned.
- The Brand Positioning Workbook describes 26 sources of brand association grouped into three categories: frame of reference; engaging the customer; the brand story. It provides a framework for thinking about a brand.
- The key to successful creative problem solving is to explore a wide and deep list of potential solutions.
- The actual problem is often different to the stated problem. Asking good questions, involving all stakeholders and reflective listening will help uncover the real problem.
- Disruptive innovation is best handled by a team that is outside the company hierarchy, with a decision maker with the power to say yes.
- Be congruent in the brand stories you tell — the behavior and the story need to align.
- Regularly challenge the brand associations that you believe customers assign to your business. Are they relevant and unique?
The Buzz — Our Innovation Round
Here are Ulli’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop.
- 1 thing to be more innovative — Get out of your comfort zone — do things you haven’t done before, go to places you haven’t been before, talk to new people.
- Best thing for new ideas — Document your ideas — write a book!
- Favourite tool for innovation — Talking to random people, and listen.
- Keep project/client on track — Clearly define and understand expectations. Consistent communication.
- Differentiate — Be yourself; find your own style.
Action
Do something you haven’t done before — it can be small or even better, travel to a new country, arrange non-resort accommodation, rent a car and explore.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank Ulli through LinkedIn, or his website.
Links
Book
- “The Brand Positioning Workbook” — Ulli Appelbaum
Cool Things About Ulli
- Ulli has created the family game the “26 Popular Children Games from Around The World”, a set of cards created to help promote cultural understanding and tolerance among children through play.
- He is a blogger for the Huffington Post, a contributor to various trade publications in the US and Europe.
- He is also a member of the Practitioner Council of the American Marketing Association.
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