Basics of Branding

A Practical Guide for Managers

If you’ve ever played competitive sports, you know how important the fundamentals are to your continued success. This applies to marketing as well. Its easy to get distracted with the newest social media platform, search algorithm update, or mobile application. But the answer you are seeking is found in the fundamentals.

Brand management in a global economy ruled by social media is no small task. Building strong customer loyalty in B2B marketing must be done through an emotional connection that cuts through the noise of the marketplace. Its time to go back to the basics in order to solve these complex 21st century challenges and we have just the guy to help!

Founder of the Pathfinder Group, Jay Gronlund, is our guest expert for the November 21, 2013 Reach Personal Branding Interview at noon EST. Jay will be discussing his book “Basics of Branding” in an interactive, one-hour interview with William Arruda, founder of Reach Personal Branding.

In this recorded interview, you will learn:

What branding is really intended to do
Why emotional branding is imperative
What role branding plays in an Internet-driven world
How to use branding as a strategic tool to describe products or companies
The difference between positioning and branding
How branding can be used for expanding revenues abroad in a global market
How branding fits into the changing roles of marketing and sales
How to build brand trust

BIO: Jay Gronlund

Jay Gronlund is a marketing professional with a special focus on rejuvenating brands and creating new content messaging that emotionally connects and builds trust with high potential target customers. The need for developing more credible “Brand Trust” is most acute in certain areas: foreign cultures, in B2B circles, and for reaching the elusive millennials all over the world. They all share a common challenge: an increasing distrust for companies and brands. Key to Jay’s success for building brand trust is his use of insightful research, ideation sessions for new ideas, and a network of affiliates around the world for cross border expansion.

Jay has held senior marketing positions at Richardson-Vicks, Church & Dwight, Seagrams, and Newsweek. In 1990, Jay started The Pathfinder Group, a boutique business development consulting firm specializing in cross-border marketing (helping companies expand abroad and into the US); re-vitalizing brands; facilitating ideation sessions; and conducting workshops overseas. In 1999, Jay created a course “Positioning and Brand Development” for NYU, which he continues to teach to US and foreign students. He has authored several articles, white papers, and books. Jay received a BA from Colby College and an MBA from Tuck at Dartmouth.