Just as every company provides a product or service that works for some but not all. This same truth applies to on-line Brand Protection Services. There are a multitude of services that claim they can help to resolve all your on-line brand problems but does it fit your company needs, management expectations, resources and budget?
On-line brand protection should include not only monitoring rogue websites that utilize your brand name in the URL to confuse consumers, but also websites that attract your consumers with key words and search engine optimization, diverters, marketplaces, social media, and blogs. Even your own authorized distributors can unintentionally damage your brand by incorrect or inappropriate use of your trademarks. You should also realize, and make senior management realize, that this is not just a “legal” problem. It affects all the major operational functions within most companies: Sales, Marketing, eCommerce, and Finance. Counterfeiters and infringers divert and steal sales, damage brand reputation which your company has created through marketing investment, competes with your eCommerce efforts, and drains profits through lost revenue and legal costs.
Knowing what your risks are first can help you know what you need for a solution. This is where the expertise of brand protection experts, using sophisticated technology, can be a valuable resource. We’ve heard the saying “You don’t know what you don’t know”. Until you know the scope and breath of your on-line problem, you can’t select the best solution to help you combat it. Often time, it may be a combination of solutions that may be needed depending on where your greatest risks are and which service can address that risk the best. If you choose a solution that is too large for your problem, you could bust your budget and sour top management to your future needs.
Conversely, choosing an ineffective solution will not provide the results you need and also sour top management. Before you leap, you should be clear on the scope of your on-line needs and risks and build your solution accordingly. This is a dynamic process because your risks change as your business changes, so on-going monitoring of your risk is key to having your on-line brand protection program meet your business needs.