It takes months and years for organizations to develop products and services that go to market. Employees often get so attached to a working name that it becomes its consumer name. The name makes complete sense for those who have seen it grow but may have little relevance to the audience it is meant to serve.

This is a common and it is not hard to see why. Company culture is often so strong that it finds it way into external communications. As part of an organization, employees become so immersed in the way a company speaks to itself that it becomes hard to think in the terms of the consumer. Nomenclature and phrases that seem ubiquitous are a communications pitfall to the public.

It is important to review the working and marketing names of products and services in various stages of their development. Test them with consumers and find the way to speak to the end user in a way that is relevant, important, memorable, and tangible.

The two most important principals of benefit-driven marketing are to give your product a customer-friendly name and speak about your product in your customer’s language.

Who wants to buy a XE750?
First of all, what is an XE750? Is it a car; an all-in-one printer, faxer, scanner; a pacemaker; an MP3 player? Giving your product an ambiguous name makes it hard for your customers to identify its purpose, never mind see the benefit in owning it. Giving the product an obvious name will not only help clients understand it, it will make it easier to buy, more inviting to own, and easier to talk about. If the XE750 is a new, high-definition MP3 player, give it a name that touts it benefit—Harmony, the first high-def MP3 player.

The first, the best, the only…
Carefully scripted messages to your customers and potential customers are the other piece of the puzzle when in comes to benefit-driven marketing. Talk to your audience about how you will make their lives easier and better instead of telling them what you have to offer. Is it a 96 gigabite, high-definition, portable audio MP3 player or is it the “World first high-definition MP3 player that can accommodates your entire music collection of over 15,000 songs”? Direct your message to your customer so they can easily discern the value of your product.

Frequently, companies get lost in the mix because they suffer from internally-focused marketing. Take the time to reevaluate your messages to see if you can offer your customers and potential customers a new and refreshing perspective that has their needs in mind.

ADAMS also completed a new Web site for The Board Forum (www.theboardforum.com) which included design, content development, programming, and a custom content management system. The organization, which provides a forum and CEO Roundtables for the CEOs throughout New England, is now supported by a branding message that effectively communicates its unique process and services to its market.

Laurie Kirk, CEO of The Board Forum stated, “It is rare that you come upon a vendor as valuable as ADAMS. They took the time to understand my business and clients, worked  efficiently and effectively, and produced a highly valuable brand identity and Web site that has already begun to pay dividends. Ken’s powerful understanding of the sales process and the ability to inject that knowledge into the initial brand identity work sets ADAMS far ahead of any competition.”

About The Board Forum: The Board Forum is a challenging peer environment for chief executives who are committed to growing their companies, achieving personal success, and accelerating their goals. Through The Board Forum, executives can confidentially address their most pressing business issues—obtaining immediate and objective feedback from peers at every meeting; participating in effectively and efficiently facilitated roundtables; being held accountable by their peers to make and execute critical decisions; as well as having access to a private council of successful CEOs and thought-leaders.

About ADAMS: With resolute client focus, ADAMS is a results-driven branding firm that helps clients achieve their goals by developing compelling work grounded in sound strategy. For nearly two decades, ADAMS has collaborated with clients across diverse industries to increase their visibility, credibility, and profitability through deliberate, multi-faceted, and creative communications.

“ADAMS experience in financial services and healthcare as well as their expertise creating strategic communications allowed our site to be implemented quickly and efficiently. ADAMS immediately understood our business, our position, and our process, allowing them to translate it into the graphics and content for the site while efficiently managing the site’s development. They used a deliberate approach that will lead to results,” said Kendall Kay, President of KK & Company.

About KK & Comany: KK & Company provides strategic planning, marketing, and business development for financial services and health care organizations. Creating customized solutions that deliver a unique and profitable competitive advantage, KK & Company’s specialized knowledge of wealth accumulation, retirement income, wellness and employer markets help some of the world’s most prestigious institutions understand and meet their customers’ needs.

About ADAMS: With resolute client focus, ADAMS is a results-driven branding firm that helps clients achieve their goals by developing compelling work grounded in sound strategy. For nearly two decades, we have collaborated with clients across diverse industries to increase their visibility, credibility, and profitability through deliberate, multi-faceted, and creative communications.