Brand Personality Shines Through
Today I received my quarterly email from Dirty Dog, a self-serve dogwash and groomer here in Austin. I love Dirty Dog and have been taking my four-year old dog, Baxter, there since he was a puppy. What stood out to me this month weren’t the specials they were offering, but the brand personality that came through. I’ve always loved the groomers they have on staff and they do a great job with Baxter’s wash and cut. They’ve always been nice, courteous and fun, but now this month in particular, I really felt the complete personality reflected in their emails, on their website, and, now, through their social marketing activities on Facebook and Twitter. (Maybe that’s what caught my eye – my dog groomer is now using Twitter and Facebook. Love it!)
The owners, Alesha Mathews and Blair Smith, started Dirty Dog in 2003. The idea came to them when they were shopping around for a groomer for Blair’s dogs, and they realized it would be so much cheaper if they could bathe and groom the dogs themselves – if only a place existed. Enter Dirty Dog Self-Serve Dogwash and Grooming.
Blair has just started using Twitter and Facebook for Dirty Dog, and admits that she didn’t realize what all the fuss was about – at first. She set up a Twitter account after attending a social media seminar, and started following Zappos. She says that’s when it clicked. ”I felt part of the conversation. I’m not planning to buy shoes online, but if I do, I would buy from Zappos because I feel that connection with them online.” The same attitude is portrayed in her tweets and her Facebook account. She’s not using it to get more sales, but to build relationships. That’s exactly what other businesses need to realize – integrating social media tools into a marketing plan should not be expected to directly increase sales; it’s a branding activity that will indirectly affect sales. And having a consistent brand image and message through every communication makes customers connect with the brand even more.
Regarding social media, Blair really does get it. “People buy from people,” she said. “And social media is one way that I can connect with my customers when I can’t be in the store 24/7.” Exactly.
One more thing….I called Blair mid-afternoon with no appointment scheduled. She happily talked to me for 15 minutes, and answered my questions about Dirty Dog’s use of social media and their other marketing plans. Her personality and engagement is genuine, and it shows through to her company. Thanks so much Blair – great talking with you! Baxter will see you soon!
Filed under: Branding
