Defining ourselves, in a world where the very definition, of definition is often ambiguous, is immensely difficult. How do you stand out from the crowd, how do you attract the crowd, how do you just make a statement? Each of those avenues requires a defined response, dependant on the current fashions, trends and influences of our consumer society. Finding the idea that defines you and stands up for you company is difficult, and over the last two days I have seen some of the best, well thought out, exciting retail brands on the Cornish retail circuit, and I am inspired.
As a brand, as my brand, Cornwall Retail Skills (CRS) is getting established. Its taking a little help from others, and well respected others, but when you get a call from Panorama telling you that they think you’re an expert in your field, perhaps that’s a sign that things are moving in the right direction…. And just to clarify a small point that sometimes is over looked, CRS (Cornwall Retail Skills) isn’t a college, or a training provider, we just try to work with the best people in our market place at that current point in time, hence our strong association, and hopefully continuing association with one of the best retail people/companies in our current market place Artysmith2 – and I know they/he needs no introducing.
If you are asking me to define in one short sentence, in a tag line sort of a way what CRS is about, I’d say; “we are here to look after Cornish retail – that’s it”. So as a brand, CRS isn’t about me, it’s about you. Its about people, not a product, its all about retailers, not about us as a company. Perhaps a great brand is one that you want to live your life by – I like running, perhaps for me the Nike philosophy of ‘doing you best’ is enough, - it isn’t and I’m not a Nike fan for that reason.
“ A great brand taps into your emotions. Emotions drive most, if not all, of our decisions.” Said a very wise Scott Bedbury who is most famously associated with brands such as Nike and Starbucks. As humans, we are an emotional ball of string, think about your own emotional stimulus – because our differences create new and innovative branding everyday.
When you look at branding, you are asking your customer to buy into your idea, your company ethos and your values, which you hope they convert into their own, if they weren’t part of your customer’s ethos already. In the same way as they buy into your ethos, you want them to buy into your product, because after all, what retailing is really about, is generating money to make a profit.
But surely, branding is also about difference. Thinking and projecting what no one else has perhaps had the courage to express, searching for a market that you know is there, but perhaps needs a little encouragement. I would say that innovation is part of branding, and any new idea takes a while to get accepted and yes often its not accepted without a fight from the dominate market. New ideas, emerging brands, existing businesses all have one thing in comment, they don’t survive without a driver and they don’t find their high street, or business respect without courage and patience.
As times on the high street get harder for some, and perhaps busier for others, I find myself confident about Cornish retail. While the innovation behind new ideas, branding and conceptual development, are put to their ultimate test during a recession, a very good friend recently reminded me that if you can start a new business during a period of economic crisis, or even manage to adapt what you have to suit the ever fluctuating market, you aren’t only a survivor, you are a business with innovation. Every single business I have met in the last two days has the ability, drive and passion to tick this box. While branding, and perhaps the innovation of a grand conceptual idea are always at some point the buzzword of business development, they are often packed up in a cardboard box during harder times. I’m just glad to see that Cornish retail intends to keep its driving force of competitiveness, of sustainability and growth throughout our economic hard times, and as a consumer, I can’t wait to continue shopping.
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