What the Bourbon Boom Can Teach You & Your Brand

There are many things we can learn from the power of the bourbon brand. Here are 4 essentials or observations that I think you might find useful as you work to unleash the power of your personal or organizational brand.

1. Simplicity

Bourbon is a fairly simple product. I’m not saying it’s simplistic – just that it has few ingredients – corn, wheat, water, rye and/or malted barley pretty much round out the list. There’s a lot of value in keeping things simple. Of course there are plenty of bourbon producers all with variations on the standard process. However, at it’s essence, the base product is arguably fairly straight-forward.

Compare that to your company’s offerings…

• Do you create a straight forward product that people can understand?
• Are your customers confused with what they are actually buying?
• Do you make it easy for customers to do business with you?
• Are your services clear?
• Do you have too many SKUs, confusing names, or conflicting messages?

2. Mystery

There is something special that happens in that barrel. It’s a bit of a mystery. You can walk through a bourbon distillery and watch the bulk of the process, but you never see what really happens in the barrel. It takes time and happens behind the scenes. The same should be true for your company and your products/services. Great brands have a bit of mystery – “What is Apple going to produce next?” “What happens behind the scenes at Disney?”

• Is there a bit of mystery around the magic your company performs?
• Do customers look at what you do and say, “heck, we could do that”?
• Is there something special you bring to the table that makes your expertise, process, capability something special?

3. Visibilty

One thing that bourbon is benefiting from is terrific visibility in the market. Right now, bourbon is everywhere. Have you ever watched an episode of Mad Men? Don Draper’s favorite concoction is an Old Fashioned – main ingredient: bourbon. As previously mentioned, President Obama is considering a Bourbon Summit. It was recently lampooned on Saturday Night Live. Even Johnny Depp and Jennifer Lawerence, both native Kentuckians, are know to enjoy an occasional bourbon.

• What about your products – have they found their way into the right hands?
• Are notable people using your service; not just because you are paying them to do it? They don’t have to be celebrities – just influencers who can help you get visibility.

4. Irreplaceability

Bourbon is not easily replaced or replicated. It can only be produced in the United States – that takes the vast majority of the world out of the mix. Many contend that the best is produced in Kentucky. Plus, the process doesn’t allow for people to quickly play catch-up. If something new hits the market, you can’t replicate it overnight. Bourbon ages in a barrel for years and does best in climates with hot summers and cool winters. True, there are many producers of bourbon, but entering the market is no easy task.

• What about your team or organization?
• Are you easily replaced?
• Can someone enter the market, undercut your pricing, and start gobbling up your business?

These are just a few quick thoughts on bourbon. Again, you don’t have to partake in the beverage to benefit from its wisdom. If you do enjoy bourbon, here are a few items you might find of interest that are springing up as part of the bourbon cottage industry:

• Qualia Bourbon Glasses
• Cloister Honey Bourbon Infused-Honey
• Sugarfina Maple Bourbon Carmels

But as always, Think Responsibly!

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Best- Patrick