STICKY

BRANDING

WORKBOOK

JEREMY MILLER
 Copyright © Sticky Branding Inc., 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise without the prior permission of Sticky Branding Inc.

Miller, Jeremy, author

Sticky Branding Workbook

Design: Paul Sveda, DesignAndDevelop.com

PG 2 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Introduction: Sticky Branding Workbook

Sticky Brands have something captivating and special about them. They stand out in their
industry. The brand attracts customers, and they come back again and again.

Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on why you like a company or a brand so much, but you know
the feeling. This is the feeling we are pursuing as we grow your company into a Sticky Brand. And when
your customers find your brand captivating — when they believe it’s a Sticky Brand — your company
will achieve five key benefits:

zz Attract more customers

zz Sell more faster

zz Inspire employee engagement

zz Become immune to the competition

zz Earn higher profits

The Sticky Branding book is action oriented. It provides ideas, stories, and exercises to make your
company stand out, attract customers, and grow into an incredible brand.

I see no point writing a business book that is consumed and forgotten. Sticky Branding has a modular
design so you can read it cover-to-cover, or you can read each Principle or Part on its own. The book is
set up for you to use, refer to, and apply as needed.

The Sticky Branding Workbook is a companion guide for the book. It’s a quick reference on the 12.5
Principles of a Sticky Brand, and provides additional tools for the exercises in the book. Use this
workbook as you read through the book and consider each of the Principles.

At the end of each Principle in the book you will discover a set of exercises. Print a copy of the
workbook, and use it to help complete and enhance the exercises. The deeper you take each exercise,
the more value you will discover from them.

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 PART 1 Position to Win

Sticky Brands play to win. They focus all their expertise and resources on where they play, who
they serve, and how they deliver value to their customers. Customers choose Sticky Brands first
because they are simply better.

“No company can be all things to all people and still win, so it is
important to understand which where-to-play choices will best enable
the company to win.”

— A.G. Lafley, former chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble, and Roger Martin,
dean of Rotman School of Management

PG 4 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Principle 1: Simple Clarity

Simple Clarity is the ability to simply and succinctly describe your business, what makes it
unique, and who it serves. Simple Clarity is about speaking in the language of your customers, and
clearly explaining your company’s story.

Simple Clarity is the foundation of a Sticky Brand. When you achieve it your business becomes more
findable, referable, memorable, and desirable.

Objective:
In the language of your customers, describe your brand in ten words or less.

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 Exercise 1 You Are, You Do, You Serve

Who is your company?

What does it do?

Who does it serve?

Craft the three answers into a single, short statement that describes your business:

PG 6 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 2 Does It Sell?

After every client meeting or sales call, log your results. (Below is a sample survey form — what I
call a Win/Loss Card™.)

Name: Date:

Client Prospect Referral Initiated by: Pitch:

Purpose of Call (Trigger Event) Products / Services Presented

Client’s Questions

1 4

2 5

3 6

What Resonated? (Statements, Stories, Facts, Figures, Demonstration, etc.)

1 4

2 5

3 6

Objections or Concerns (Challenges, Issues, Complaints, Comparisons, etc.)

1 4

2 5

3 6

Outcome / Next Steps Rate Meeting

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 Principle 2: Tilt the Odds

Sticky Brands Tilt the Odds in their favor because they are not all things to all people. They
choose where to play and how they will win to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

Tilt the Odds for your company by focusing on niche markets or services where it stands out as the first
choice.

Objective:
Select a niche or service area for your company that you can protect and own, and be your customers’
first choice.

PG 8 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 Pick the Right Niche

Is There a Market?
1. Customer Segment: Identify one to three clear target markets for your products and services.

2. Need: What do your customers need? What are they buying, why, and when?

3. Investment: Do they spend money on this need? If so, how much? If not, can you overcome the
obstacle of “free?”

Customer Segment Need Investment

Can You Compete and Win?

1. Options: How do your clients solve this problem today? What products or services do they use?
Do they have to combine multiple options to solve their need?

2. Market Leader: Is there a defined market leader or preferred option in this space?

3. Opportunity: Why your brand? What do your products and services do that are unique? Are they
valued? Are they superior to current options in the marketplace?

Options Market Leader Opportunity

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 Can You Defend Your Brand Position?
1. Core Skills and Assets: What skills, resources, expertise, or assets does your firm possess to
beat alternative options already in the market?

2. Defensive Investments: What areas of your business do you have to invest in and develop to
sustain a competitive advantage in this niche? What does your company have to be best in the
world at?

Core Skills and Assets Defensive Investments

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 Principle 3: Function That Resonates

Function That Resonates is the pursuit of delivering value-added services that resonate with
your customers. Customers want substance over flash and will seek out companies who truly
understand them and their needs.

What do your customers really want? Identify how you can evolve your services to deliver measurable
results for your clients.

Objective:
Make your products more functional and valuable for your clients by combining them with value-added
services.

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 Exercise 1 Discover the Outcomes

Customer Outcomes

Tranquility Power Connection Creativity Security

Vitality Service Wisdom Freedom Strength
Beauty Trust Wonder Exploration Reliability
Wholeness Energy Entertainment Convenience Savings
Excellence Faith Education Simplicity Profit
Humor Inclusiveness Communication Order Gain

Customer What They Purchased Purchase Date Customer Outcome(s) Groupings

10

11

12

13

14

15

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 PART 2 Authentic Differentiation

Sticky Brands don’t behave like faceless companies. They stand out because they reveal their
personality, share their opinions, and build real customer relationships.

“There will always, one can assume, be the need for some selling.
But the aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous. The aim of
marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the
product or service fits him and sells itself.”

— Peter Drucker, management guru

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 Principle 4: Engage the Eye

Sticky Brands are visual brands. They engage their customers’ eyes because they know their
customers judge them based on what they see. Sight is the most important human sense for
evaluating brands and making purchase decisions.

Build a strong visual identity for your brand that engages your customers’ eyes and lets them know
your business is unique.

Objective:
Create a visual experience using metaphors, stories, and imagery in order to make your brand visibly
different.

PG 14 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 Your Brand’s Metaphor

Capture the Story

Notes Common Phrases

Deep Metaphors (Top 2)

…… Balance
…… Transformation
…… Journey
…… Container
…… Connection
…… Resource
…… Control

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 Principle 5: Total Customer Experience

Sticky Brands are built on a collection of experiences. It doesn’t matter what the company
promotes, it’s what the customers experience that counts. The experience shapes the perception of
the brand. Sticky Brands provide their customers with compelling experiences that keep them coming
back.

Find what makes your business unique and better, and bake that into the customer experience.

Objective:
Create memorable moments that will shape your customers’ experience and expectations of your
brand.

PG 16 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 Primary Touch Points

Customer Touch Point How Can You improve the Customer Experience?

Website or Mobile Apps

Retail Location

Sales

Customer Service

Partners

Social Media

Search Engines

(Other)

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 Exercise 2 Engage the Lizard Brain

Customer Touch Point Your Brand Experience Direct Competitor Experience

Website or Mobile Apps

Retail Location

Sales

Customer Service

Partners

Social Media

Search Engines

(Other)

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 Principle 6: “That’s Interesting. Tell Me More.”

The five best words you can hear a customer say are, “That’s interesting. Tell me more.” If you
can get them to say that, you have caught their attention and they will listen to what you have to say.

Sticky Brands cut through the clutter of their market and engage their customers with Brand Storylines
— stories that engage them in a conversation and build relationships.

Objective:
Develop one or two Brand Storylines to engage your market, spark conversations, and build
relationships.

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 Exercise 1 Take a Stance

We believe …

Our competitors get it wrong, because …

What frustrates us about our industry is …

What surprises most people about our approach is …

We never want to be associated with …

People commonly says this, but we think it’s actually …

What gets me most excited about our industry is …

The biggest risk to our customers is …

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 PART 3 Punch Outside Your Weight Class

Sticky Brands stand out in their industry. They can compete and win against the big guys,
because they’re not afraid to blow their own horns. Make your brand so visible and engaging that it’s
hard to ignore.

“If you don’t blow your own horn, someone else will use it as a
spittoon.”

— Ken Blanchard, author of fifty books, including The One Minute Manager

STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK | www.StickyBranding.com PG 21

 Principle 7: First Call Advantage

Sticky Brands are their customers’ first call when they are ready to buy. It’s a powerful sales
position. A First Call Advantage sets customer expectations, and provides an opportunity to solve their
needs before they shop anywhere else.

Build relationships with your market — prospects, customers, and referral partners — upwards of
three years before they need your services.

Objective:
Build relationships with prospects and customers upwards of three years before they have a need.
Build relationships so that your customers will call your company first when they have a need.

PG 22 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 Engage the Lower 90 Percent

Activity Impact: Top 10% or Lower 90% Priority

…… Blog

…… Email Newsletter

…… Direct Mail

…… Publish Reports

…… Podcast / Vidcast

…… Webinars

…… Social Media

…… Trade shows

…… Sponsorship

…… Host Events

…… Speaking

…… Board Participation

…… Lunch ’n’ Learns

…… Networking

…… Call to Say, “Hello”

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 Principle 8: Be Everywhere

Sticky Brands just seem to be everywhere. They have a buzz about them that’s usually the
domain of much larger companies. Unlike the big guys, they don’t spend outrageous amounts of
money on marketing and advertising. They stand out by growing a community.

Grow a community around your brand. Build and scale relationships so your brand is everywhere.

Objective:
Build and serve communities to reach new audiences and develop new relationships for your brand.

PG 24 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 A Community Starts with 1,000 Members

People to invite Influencers and Groups

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 Principle 9: Pick Your Priorities

The number one value of growing a Sticky Brand is sales. Sticky Brands sell more, faster —
provided they are purposeful with their resources. Small- and mid-sized companies don’t have vast
marketing budgets and resources to move the sales needle.

To drive sales and grow a Sticky Brand, focus on one priority at a time: Volume, Velocity, or Value.

Objective:
Focus on one priority — Volume, Velocity, or Value — at a time. What does your business need to focus
on for the next six months?

PG 26 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 What’s Holding You Back

Sales: Do you need to generate more opportunities?

Quality or size of customers: Are you selling to the right customers?

Winning deals: Does your sales team struggle to close deals? Customers come to you, but they
seem to get cold feet at some point.

Price: Are you suffering from death by a thousand cuts? Do you have to constantly discount to
win business?

Resources: Are you drowning in opportunities, and need to use your resources more effectively?

Competition: Are you facing a competitor that’s beating your brand up, and making
it hard to win?

Something else: There’s a clear threat or problem holding your brand back.

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 One V at a Time — Volume,
Exercise 1
Velocity, or Value

What is your priority for the next six months?

How will you move towards that priority? What’s the plan?

What are your measures of success?

PG 28 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 PART 4 Over Commit, Over Deliver

Sticky Brands are deeply committed to the performance of their products and services and the
results they deliver. That focus on client results empowers their teams to go above and beyond the call
of duty.

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and

commitment to unrelenting pursuit of your goal — a commitment to
excellence — that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”

— Mario Andretti, world champion racing driver

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 Principle 10: Branding from the Inside Out

Sticky Brands are built from the inside out. Their people, culture, and values all come together
to foster innovation and deliver remarkable client experiences.

Your company’s people, culture, and values are the glue that holds it together. Those strong bonds
enable your company to attract the right employees and serve your clients even better.

Objective:
Invest in your company’s people, culture, and values to attract the right employees and serve your
clients even better.

PG 30 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 “We Are Not ...”

“We are not …” Reverse statement (positive)

Corporate Values:

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 Principle 11: Proud to Serve

The people who grow Sticky Brands are filled with pride. They take a great deal of pride in their
work, their customers, and the results they deliver. And it shows. They cultivate adoring customers
because they are deeply committed to the work they do.

Pride is powerful. It propels your company to innovate and deliver exceptional services.

Objective:
Create feedback loops to monitor and manage your brand’s performance. Pay close attention to how
your company is performing so you can Over Commit and Over Deliver for your customers’ benefit.

PG 32 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK

 Exercise 1 Feedback Loops

Act on your feedback loops:

Data to share:

What’s working:

What’s not working:

What did we learn:

What will we do next quarter:

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 Principle 12: Big Goals and Bold Actions

Sticky Brands make Big Goals and take Bold Actions. Their goals energize the brand. They create
momentum and excitement around a business that is infectious. People are excited to talk about the
company, refer others to it, and buy from it, because of its accomplishments.

Ratchet up the energy and excitement in your company with Big Goals and Bold Actions.

Objective:
Commit to Big Goals — Big Goals that will energize your brand and drive it to grow through the next
revenue plateau.

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 Exercise 1 Gaining Traction

3 year Big Goal: Make it SMART

Specific: Business function

Measurable: Metrics

Achievable: Can you

accomplish the Big Goal?

Relevant: Why is it
important?

Time-bound: What’s the

finish line?

Six month goals (Break the Big Goal into six month increments)

Goal 1: 0 - 6 months

Goal 2: 7 - 12 months

Goal 3: 13 - 18 months

Goal 4: 19 - 24 months

Goal 5: 25 - 30 months

Goal 6: 31 - 36 months

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 Exercise 1 Ground it in Purpose

Define the R — Relevance — in your SMART goal. Why is the Big Goal important for your company and
your customers?

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 Principle 12.5: Choose Your Brand

Sticky Brands are built by people: ambitious, impatient, talented people. People who are not
satisfied with the status quo or growing just another business. Sticky Brands are built by people who
commit to growing them.

Choose your brand. Grow a brand that stands out in your industry like an orange tree in an evergreen
forest.

Make a Commitment
Growing a Sticky Brand is a choice. It’s a choice to stand out and be remarkable. It’s a choice to build
meaningful relationships with your customers. It’s a choice to cut your own path and innovate in your
industry. Growing a Sticky Brand is your choice to stand out, attract customers, and drive sales.

Make the choice, and implement each of the Principles discussed in the book to make your
company a Sticky Brand.

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 INFO Sticky Branding

Buy the book:

Get more details or buy a copy of Sticky Branding: 12.5 Principles to Stand Out, Attract Customers, and
Grow an Incredible Brand.

About the book:

Sticky Branding is your branding playbook. It provides ideas, stories, and exercises that will make your
company stand out, attract customers, and grow into an incredible brand. Based on a decade of
research into what makes companies successful, Sticky Branding’s 12.5 guiding principles are drawn
from hundreds of interviews with CEOs and business owners who have excelled within their industries.

About the author:

Jeremy Miller is a Brand Builder, Speaker, and the President of Sticky Branding — a brand building
agency.

After rebranding his family’s business, Jeremy embarked on a decade long study of how small- and
mid-sized companies create incredible brands. Since 2005 he has interviewed thousands of CEOs and
business owners and profiled hundreds of companies across dozens of sectors.

Jeremy works with companies to develop branding and marketing strategies that make them stand out
and drive sales. He is a sought after speaker delivering highly entertaining and informative keynotes
speeches on branding and business development. And he knows what it takes to grow a Sticky Brand
and how you can do it too.

For more information, and to connect with Jeremy, visit www.StickyBranding.com.

PG 38 www.StickyBranding.com | STICKY BRANDING WORKBOOK