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Why We Rebranded

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Interview with the Global Segment Manager

Why is branding important in your business?

I can't tell you how often I hear that branding is for B2C brands only and that online marketing has no place in our industry. Opponents of branding, for example, claim that our customers make up a very specific audience of rational decision makers who are not swayed by emotional factors. They are often convinced that in our line of work deals are all about the relationship between the sales managers and the customer, and that our products have any aspirational attributes, technical performance and price are the only things that matter to a customer. Others simply argue that our engineered solutions are far too complex to be reduced to a tagline or advertisement.

Fortunately, CDM Stravitec shares a different opinion all together, which makes mine and our sales team’s lives a lot easier. CDM Stravitec understands that while B2B companies such as ours may be selling to other businesses, at the end of the day, the decision still lies with a person, someone able to shape opinions and perceptions through their interactions and experiences with a company. It really doesn’t matter whether you’re selling perfume or engineering services, clothing or sophisticated noise and vibration isolation solutions, branding influences the decisions of customers. Even myself, being a Civil Engineer that tends to be quite rational when taking decisions, my emotions and perceptions play a part. Like most people, stored memories, images, sounds, and feelings impact the decision-making process, even if we think they don’t, that’s the power of branding and marketing. So, I ask you, why would our customers be any different? Well, they aren't any different.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that price, technical features and quality are not important. On the contrary, they are very important. But would you buy from a company you barely know? From a company that has no references? From a company you are not involved with? I wouldn’t and I think most people would agree. Interacting with and buying from a company that communicates in a clear and consistent way makes us more trusting and gives us some assurance that what they are selling will be up to snuff.  

During this rebranding we took the opportunity to develop a new website. Don’t forget, we live in a digital age, where people turn to the internet for almost everything. The internet is where companies interact with their audience, it is there we all hope to find the answers to most of our questions, including product information and company background. Our new website was developed according to the same brand guidelines as the rest of our literature, in an effort to provide our customers a more enjoyable reading experience. 

 

What was your role in this rebranding process? How did you experience this rebranding journey?

As a Global Segment Manager, I have to be the voice of the customer. I need to know who our customers are, where they are from, what their habits are, and when and why they are looking for one of our products. This is essential information that helps our marketing department define brand guidelines and work out an appropriate communication strategy. Trying to figure out how our customers think and act is not always easy, but it makes my job so much more exciting. It doesn’t only benefit our company, but the customer as well. We want to provide them the info they need, where and when they need it.  

We need to understand that our preconceptions about our customers are often wrong. Working for an international company makes it even harder to get a clear picture of who our customer is. As American entrepreneur Steve Blank once said, “[…] no facts exist inside the building, only opinions. […] so, get out of the building.” With that I just want to underline that rebranding is a work in progress that needs constant evaluation. Without a doubt, there are aspects that we still need to improve. We are trying to interact more with our customers and take their feedback at heart. We listen and act.

 

Why Stravitec?

Let me start by explaining what Stravitec means. The name is an acronym for Structural Acoustics & Vibration Isolation Technology company. It embodies the breadth of our services and at the same time stands out. We wanted a name that on the one hand explains what we do, and on the other is distinctive, easy to pronounce, likeable and trustworthy. A name that will be able to withstand the test of time.

Branding, however, is not just a name, logo and colors. Branding is so much more, branding is everything. It’s also a person’s gut feeling about a product, service and company. In a world where people have so many options, so little time, and where so many companies a competing for their attention and business, often with similar products and services, customers tend to base their buying decision on trust! CDM Stravitec wants to show that it is a company that people can trust and rely on, a true partner that will develop the right solution for their problem and offer the best possible service they can provide.

 

Rebranding is a work in progress that needs constant evaluation. Without a doubt, there are aspects that we still need to improve. We are trying to interact more with our customers and take their feedback at heart. We listen and act.

Marina Rodrigues

Global Segment Manager Floating Floors