Branding Vs. Selling

[Deleted20833]

Hey Guys,

I'm hearing this argument from opposing sides
one guru says

"You should build brand equity...it lasts more than quick sells,
its easy to extract money from people fast but it will affect
your followers loyalty and your market position"

Other guru says

"If you're not selling, you don't have a business...I make millions
with a 60,000 Facebook fan page while other guys have
1,000,000 fans and can barley break 6 figures...selling is
where the money is at which is why you're in business"

So what do you think? Do you think having a gazillion
fans on your social media sites are worth it?

Do you think you are better off focusing on direct
selling? (providing a product to the right people)

What are your thoughts?

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jockinbox]

Selling is king

Branding is like the emperors new robes

 

[Deleted20833]

@jockinbox Yeah, that's what I was thinking but I'm always looking to get proven wrong...
the guy made a strong argument for branding but
I started thinking about how fickle people can be...

you want people to be loyal to your brand?
People can't even be loyal to themselves! (diets,failed goals,failed promises, etc.)

 

[AllenCrawley]

One is not diametrically opposed to the other. Why can't you do both? I make sales daily yet my branding is what is helping me to be different from competitors and helps me tell the story of my products and business. Without a brand your business is built on sand.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[Unknown]

A catchy name can sell just as many products as a catchy sales pitch.

 

[Deleted20833]

@AllenCrawley Yeah you're right, what I'm trying to figure out is where the 80% of time should go & where to use the other 20%...branding then selling...selling then branding

 

[Unknown]

I believe the two go hand in hand. If you're selling great products and giving great customer service people will hold your brand in higher regard.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[jockinbox]

I believe the two go hand in hand. If you're selling great products and giving great customer service people will hold your brand in higher regard.

One is not diametrically opposed to the other. Why can't you do both? I make sales daily yet my branding is what is helping me to be different from competitors and helps me tell the story of my products and business. Without a brand your business is built on sand.

I think he means branding as in social media

Do you think having a gazillion
fans on your social media sites are worth it?

If you're not selling, you don't have a business...I make millions
with a 60,000 Facebook fan page while other guys have
1,000,000 fans and can barley break 6 figures

At least that's what I understood

Maybe OP can clarify

Selling and product branding go hand in hand (logo, customer service, quality, etc)

 

[Royael]

Voted A) Selling.

Why? Never go into branding as your "only business strategy". It will fail. Thats because branding alone can't do anything unless you have millions of capital. You can't expect to be a big brand from day one and therefore you have to sell first ALOT before even thinking about branding.

Selling has the nice side-effect of building a brand by itself - if you just keep your customers happy. Your "brand" will be spread by word of mouth and you even won't have to pay anything for that.

 

[TJPB]

Voted A) Selling.

Why? Never go into branding as your "only business strategy". It will fail. Thats because branding alone can't do anything unless you have millions of capital. You can't expect to be a big brand from day one and therefore you have to sell first ALOT before even thinking about branding.

It is not this black and white. Depends on your branding, your product, and your target market among many other variables.

 

Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

[SeanKelly]

Selling is not an optional "strategy".... The whole point of a business is to sell things. Everything you do in business should bring you closer to a sale.

Branding is a strategy (I'd also consider this necessary) and simply helps to distinguish you amongst the competition.

We're you seriously trying to choose one or the other?

 

[Mike Kavanagh]

Well, not understanding the question at hand, I chose branding.

Why?
Control.

My opinion is based in eCommerce.
You can sell anything. If you don't control the brand, you don't control your profit margin. You don't control how you can market. You don't control anything. They could choose to cut you out at any minute.

You should build brand equity

To quote a dictionary on "equity"
"The residual value of a business or property beyond any mortgage thereon and liability therein."
To make it more simple, how much something is worth.

If you're not selling, you don't have a business..

This is true. It doesn't have to be a cash sale even though cash is what you want.

Look at Mj's website, his "sale" was leads. A customer would come to his site looking for a limo and he being the middle man connected them together. Then the company paid him a percentage. (This is how I interpreted the scenario in the book. Sorry if I misunderstood.)

A sale could be any action you want someone to take.
"Sign up for my news letter!"
"Tell your friends about..."
"Click here to buy now!"
"E-mail your local politician to complain about..."

You get the idea.