Want to grow your own army of loyals?

When we were kids, around Christmas time, there was this Coca-Cola advert that would play on TV.

It officially marked the beginning of the season for us.

The advert showed a red truck with LED lights around it passing through a silent town and then everything would light up, transforming gloomy homes into happy ones.

The last shot would be that of Santa Clause. Honestly speaking, though, my mother never reacted to that ad by sending me to the shop to buy a cold Coca-Cola, but the brand made its way into many homes.

In 2017, the firm recorded a whopping $35 billion (Sh3 trillion – more than Kenya’s entire budget) in revenue.

This got me thinking: why is Coke still so big on advertising, even in countries like Kenya where it enjoys almost 90 per cent market share?

Brand image

I have been in the US for almost a month now, and I’m learning a lot, especially about marketing and maintaining a brand’s image.

Let me give you a scenario. When you start a business and it eventually takes off, do you cut down on the marketing and fund more employees, or do you look at ways of building a sustainable future for your brand?

What people don’t understand is that the consumer wave can only be prolonged if there’s a constant reminder. The consumer is subjected to thousands of other products every day.

The craziest thing is that research done recently revealed that a consumer is likely to try a new product just to get a feel of it. This ‘trial’ window is very risky to you as an entrepreneur.

The number one mistake I’ve witnessed over the years is that companies get comfortable, and since they’re riding the growth wave, they reduce their marketing budget and focus on addressing customer needs and adding staff.

However, keep in mind that business is about marketing and selling, and this should never change. Even the strongest companies have profits to maintain and beat.

Consistency, consistency

I mentioned Coca-Cola when I started, but what I didn’t mention is that the $35 billion it raised wasn’t even its best year. In 2016, it registered $41 billion (Sh4.1 trillion) and in 2014, $45 billion (Sh4.5 trillion).

So, according to the numbers, it’s evident that the curve is slightly dipping. Could it be that the competition is getting more aggressive or have consumer patterns changed?

Whatever the case, what I love about this beverages company is that its advertising and marketing always grows, and every year the creativity is ramped up.

The beauty of always being the preferred brand is that you gain from the loyalty and allegiance of the consumer. Every company wants to get to this position of having an army of loyals, rather than having just consumers. This helps you shorten the duration of your low periods.

High pressure

Deadlines are good in terms of getting the job done, but there’s also high pressure. I met a young CEO, a friend I’ve been mentoring for a few years now. I’m happy that his company is finally reaping what he worked so hard to sow.

But recently he hit a stagnant wave and asked for a meeting. He mentioned that two of his favourite employess had quit and it was affecting business.

I asked what the real problem was, but he couldn’t trace it. The moment he gave me the details of the story, though, I could pinpoint what had gone wrong.

He was stretching the quality of what he’d promised consumers and passed on the pressure to his employees.

Remember, as much as you’re the leader or team captain, every member is essential.

You might be the greatest striker in the world, but if your midfielder isn’t supplying you with the right balls, then your skills won’t be visible.

The ‘must-win’ vision should be shared by every employee so that there’s agreement.

There are times when the company is doing poorly, and the boss wants nothing but results or someone will get fired. If this energy is transferred to employees, the anticipated results usually don’t come out as expected.

A consistent marketing plan is essential, and sales are also very important. They go hand in hand. But generally, always make sure you’re steps ahead in marketing because new tactics are being created by young companies every day that are changing the waves for existing companies/brands.

The writer is an award-winning artiste and entrepreneur.