The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand is a evergreen if it comes to branding. The book is definitely worth reading.
In my mind most of the laws are valid no matter if you go online or just sell in a physical store.
However, there are two laws that seem of very high importance.
Contraction
The law of contraction is about focus. Focus Is vital for success.
Let’s say you run a delicatessen shop. You will offer some sort of olives, five different hams and sausages as well as 5 different kinds of cheese, pickles and fruit juice. Every delicatessen shop has a similar offer. There is nothing that sets you apart.
Now think of «Submarine»
What does Submarine stand for? Submarine sandwiches, you probably can even picture their logo. One could say the packed the delicatessen in this sort of sandwiches that can easily be wrapped, carried and eaten. No mess and the shops are typically on a commuter’s way.
A clear, branded product; clever and unique.
The advantage of focusing on one product at the time is that eventually you’ll become very good at it.
Focus does not mean that you cannot have more than one product. It just says that you should build the next one, once your current product works. – BK
Expansion
If you go for easy pickings a large choice is good.
If you go for branding too grand an offer is a bad thing since it will water down your brand and nobody knows what your business really stands for.
I am not saying – and neither does the author – that you have to limit yourself to 2 items. Look at Starbucks for example. I have no idea how many sorts of obscenely overpriced coffee they offer. The cookies and cake are more of a decoration for the coffee.
Moreover, where ever you go the coffee tastes the same, the amount of milk or sugar is equal.
Contraction well done right leads to expansion. – BK
Internet Branding
The book also contains 11 «immutable» laws of branding of which I am not so sure of. In the end, social media can be a sales strategy.
On the fast-paced internet and the ever-changing rules of social media nothing is «immutable».
On the other hand, your branding is “immutable” for as long as you decide to rebrand. These are the things that make a brand:
- Your product
- Stable quality
- Reliability (do what you say you do)
- Your corporate design (colours, logo, tone of voice etc.)
- Your values
