Dollars Halves
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 UNCIRCULATED 2004 D KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR  US $.99
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 UNCIRCULATED 1977 KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR US $.99
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 UNCIRCULATED 1984 D KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR US $.99
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 UNCIRCULATED 1981 D KENNEDY HALF DOLLAR US $.99
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 John F Kennedy Memorial Half Dollar US $16.99
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 2005 999 Fine Silver NORFED Liberty Ten Dollar One Half Troy Ounce US $29.95
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 1944 STANDING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR US $10.85
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 1943 STANDING LIBERTY HALF DOLLAR US $11.52
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 1974 P Kennedy Half Dollar looks uncirculated US $.99
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 Kennedy Silver Half Dollars All 1969 D Lot of 10 US $36.53
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 1894 s HALF DOLLAR 1894 S US $8.20
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 1858 Seated Liberty Half Dollar US $13.09
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 1952 D Franklin Silver Half Dollar US $9.99
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 1892 S Barber Half Dollar US $66.55
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 1917 Walking Liberty Half Dollar US $25.67
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 Set Of 7 Commemorative Half Dollars US $110.00
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 Vintage 1971 85 Mixed Lot 8b of 14 Kennedy Half Dollars AG FINE condition US $17.09
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I read an article recently, aimed at giving guidance to independent retailers in these unusual economic times. Among other things, the article declared that "A recession is no time to focus on branding". I actually had to stop to make sure I read it correctly. A recession is no time to focus on branding? Hmmm...
Was the author implying that a more appropriate time for brand-building is when the economy is strong? Let's consider that for a moment. Actually, before we get to that, let's see if we can first agree on what the heck branding really is?
Webster's says that branding is "the promoting of a particular product or service by identifying it with a particular brand." If we accept that definition, then branding would seem like something you'd always want to be doing, wouldn't it? I mean after all, shouldn't you always be working to promote your product or service? And shouldn't you always be trying to identify your product or service with your brand? It seems logical.
I think the problem is that in many companies the term branding has become code for things that aren't sales focused. There are those that actually believe that branding and sales are mutually exclusive activities and that you can focus solely on one or the other. I think that's like saying that breathing is more about inhaling than exhaling. You can't do one without doing the other.
For example, in an effort to bolster sales during the current recession, luxury bridal clothier Vera Wang reportedly cut the average price of her wedding gowns by about 30%. So, is this sales or branding? Sure the move is aimed at generating sales in the short term but will it have an impact on the brand in the longer-term?
Changing your pricing structure is a brand statement. I'm not suggesting it's wrong. I have no idea what the situation is at Vera Wang and I'm sure they know their business better than I ever will. What I do know is that a price cut is branding.
I used to work for a company where Marketing and Sales were two separate camps. Marketing firmly believed its job was to build advocacy for the brand by building an emotional connection with the consumer. They felt strongly about avoiding price promotion to drive sales and loyalty. The Sales group believed that their role was to win space and increase market share. They saw their job as winning customers over by offering dynamic product features at compelling prices.
Sales would accuse marketing of creating high priced "fluff" that didn't drive revenue and Marketing blamed Sales for commoditizing the brand by focusing customers solely on product and price, which they felt in time, would lead to the company's undoing.
Consequently, the company would go through this schizophrenic sort of business cycle where we'd spend boat loads of money on brand building activity in the first 6 months of the year and when sales weren't immediately forthcoming, any remaining budget would get handed to Sales. Sales would promptly use it to stage "dollars-off" promotions and other discount schemes, which not only didn't win back much ground, but also tended to have an adverse affect on overall brand positioning. Each year we'd do the same thing, somehow expecting the result to be different. It wasn't.
What we didn't recognize at the time was that everyone in both Sales and Marketing was absolutely correct about their roles. Yes, Marketing should be working to build brand and product awareness and an emotional connection with consumers and yes Sales should then leverage that brand awareness and loyalty to gain consumer acceptance and win market share. It isn't about sales or marketing, it's about sales and marketing. The truth is, branding and sales are inseparable functions and the best retailers truly understand that.
Wait a minute. Did I just say that Sales and Marketing are the same thing? Absolutely not. Sales and marketing are two very different roles. What I am saying however is that in order for either to be successful, they have to be performed in concert with one another. Like two halves of the whole.
As for the idea that "a recession is no time for branding", it just doesn't make sense. Even no branding is branding. Perhaps what they meant to say is that a recession is no time for ineffective branding and with that I agree wholeheartedly.
Doug Stephens is the President of Retail Prophet Consulting. Retail Prophet is a future focused, performance consulting group that specializes in helping Independent Retailers, their buying groups and associations. For more information, contact doug@retailprophet.com or visit the Retail Prophet blog at [http://retailprophet.blogspot.com/]
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Dollars $10 Dollars |
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Go Halves On A Bastard $9.99 Go Halves On A Bastard |
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Farming to Halves $80 Farming to halves is the English version of sharefarming, a system of letting land familiar in Europe and the New World, but thought to never have existed in England. This book reveals its hidden history in England, overturning traditional accounts of the relationship between landlords and tenants in the course of English Agrarian development. |
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Papaya Halves and Lime Wedges $24.99 Maja Smend Papaya Halves and Lime Wedges - Photographic Print |
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Australian Dollars $10 Australian Dollars |
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USA Dollars $6 USA Dollars |
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Flying Dollars $6 Flying Dollars |
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Fistful of Dollars $8.99 Fistful of Dollars |
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Planters Cashews Halves & Pieces $6.49 Halves & pieces No cholesterol 0 g trans fat Grocery , Snacks , Nuts & Seeds , Cashews |
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Nice! Cashew Halves & Pieces $2.99 0 g of Trans Fat Nice! Cashew Halves & Pieces Grocery , Snacks , Nuts & Seeds , Cashews |
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A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life $20.09 Both Rohr and D'Arcy believe that much personal and church confusion could be helped by clearly distinguishing the tasks of the two halves of life.... |
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A Fistful of Dollars $9.99 A Fistful of Dollars - Masterprint |
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A History of Halves $5.84 No Synopsis Available |
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Other Halves $53.63 No Synopsis Available |
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Sand Dollars $59.99 Stephanie Marrott Sand Dollars - Framed Art Print |
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Silver Dollars $9.99 Ann Dahlgren Silver Dollars - Art Print |
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Pecan Halves Mammoth - 30 Lb Mammoth Pecan Halves: GR $390.95 Mammoth pecan halves come from pecans that are mostly produced in the Carolinas and Georgia. These pecans are known as Mammoth because of their large size. You'll find 200 pecan halves per 250 pounds of these pecans. Each case consists of thirty pounds. |
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Pecan Halves Jr. Mammoth - 30 Lb Pecan Halves,Jr.Mammoth: GR $385.32 Pecan Halves, Jr. Mammoth come from pecans that are mostly produced in the Carolinas and Georgia. These pecans are known as Jr. Mammoth because of their medium to large size. You'll find 250 pecan halves per 300 pounds of these pecans. Each case consists of thirty pounds. |
