RANT: NCET and Brand Development for eWEEK “BUSINESS CRUCIBLE”

On 3/7/08 I got an email from NCET asking for submissions for the Business Crucible. Here's the email:

" WELCOME TO THE eWEEK “BUSINESS CRUCIBLE”

A crucible burns away irrelevant material until only the valuable essence remains.

Dear Sterling,

Do You Have What It Takes To Test Your Business Idea With Seasoned Businessmen and Investors?

If you’ve got what it takes, send a ONE PAGE synopsis of your business idea to NAME WITHHELD at xxx@NCET.org by 5 pm on Monday, March 10. We’ll notify the finalists by Wednesday, March 12.

If you’re selected, you’ll attend "The Crucible" from 11 am until 1 pm on Saturday, March 15 at the Reno Sparks Convention Center. You’ll have 10 minutes to present the key aspects of your idea to a panel of seasoned local business people, field a series of questions, and then receive feedback from the panel.

Each presenter will receive a free one year subscription to the Northern Nevada Business Weekly and the winning presenter will receive a free NxLeveL course courtesy of the Nevada Small Business Development Center."

Immediately I wrote in to the provided email and asked:

"NAME WITHHELD,

Just looking at this email, I am wondering if any consideration has been made for brand strategy. Frankly speaking, the number one reason new businesses fail is not lack of funding, know how or expertise. It is the inability to effectively develop a lasting brand strategy that establishes their unique selling position in the marketplace.

We have two Certified Brand Strategists (certification via The Brand Establishment, a group specializing in brand development training) in our office; one of which is the principal and has owned the agency for 10+ years. If this is of interest, I’d love to bring over some material and discuss. Again, I can’t stress enough the importance of brand development when developing a business plan.

Thanks for your time and please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is a want.

Sterling"

For anyone who knows me, my stance as a shameless self promoter is cemented. In this particular situation the self promoter in me was active, but the side that actually thinks brand strategy absolutely needs consideration for this 'crucible' was the overwhelming motivation to email NCET. I don't think any entrepreneur's business plan is worth a nickel unless he or she has placed great emphasis on brand development. If I'm a bank, I want to see it. If I see it, I know this person has done the work, or at the very least, planned on being successful. Can a business be successful without a brand strategy? Sure. Can they plan for long term growth by ignoring it and running a greater risk of becoming a commodity in more turbulent business climates? Keep the nickel.

So, what's the moral here? C'mon NCET, tell me to jump in a lake, or you love it. Anything! I just followed up asking if there was any consideration for the next crucible. No reply... yet.

So, the moral is this: C'mon NCET! Open up your arms and feel the brand dev love. You're short changing the entrepreneur... by a nickel.