Howard Lim, founder of How Creative, wants to know how housewares companies define success. Is it higher profits, more customers, being recognized as an industry leader, more time with your loved ones and less time at the office or making a difference in humanity? Whatever the goals, Kim says companies can accomplish them with a holistic branding plan that is built into the fabric of the business itself.
“Most companies want to increase their sales, customers, value, equity, profit and partners and don’t know how or why their strategies aren’t working,” he says. “I discovered that often it’s not their product or service, but their business model, brand core, outdated brand identity or the wrong marketing/channels. Kim says they don’t have an extended vision to create a trusted brand image in the customer’s mind and heart.
“People in the housewares industry need to be aware that the soul of brands is definitely an up and coming trend.” Many businesses fail or flatten their growth through misuse of funds, an irrelevant business model, lack of brand impression, lack of a competent team and lack of loyalty. This results from failing to balance the company approach to building a business, choosing instead to “shoot from the hip.”
“Most people will build around a product.” What should be done “is building a brand with an integrated strategy” that gives companies and products a unique, lasting personality. Lim says, for example, that Apple was able to float so many innovative, successful products because Steve Job’s visionary approach to business was built around a concept and lifestyle, not the products themselves.
