We don’t get to make a first impression twice, but we sure do build a reputation with multiple impressions. This is the fundamental concept of branding!
There are four simple ingredients to branding, and if you keep them in mind, you’ll not only boost your brand, but you’ll boost your confidence in your company as well.
1) Define how you want to be perceived
2) Build your business around that promise
3) Communicate that vision
4) BE CONSISTENT
The first question you should always ask is: What is your company goal? Do you have a clear vision of what you’re trying to be, how you’re trying to say it and why you’re doing it?
Draw on the most positive aspects of your organization and identify what about that separates you from the competition, then you have your base. It’s not easy to get to this point but rewarding when you do!
The next move is to build the key elements you need to deliver on that defined vision. Sometimes it is there but very rarely is it 100% complete, what tweaks do you have to make to deliver on your brand promise?
Number 3 and 4 go hand in hand … you must now communicate this vision with logos, advertising, sponsorships and content that conveys both the overarching concept and the details of that vision on an almost constant basis.
For my company, we had a legacy brand that we were taking to market that no longer conveyed what we do and why. When we started looking into that, we asked ourselves: who do we want to be in the marketplace?
This simple exercise of checking in to make sure that the brand you’re putting out into the world creates the feeling, the thought, the sentiment and the engagement you’re looking for with your audience is critical to our success in this day and age. Nine times out of 10, people have decided who they’re going to work with, buy from and engage with before they even talk to a salesperson.
What can you do if you’re struggling to figure out your key goal? Ask for help!
Get feedback from your employees, get feedback from a third-party consultant, get feedback from your friends and family. With the help of an outside third party to define those critical touchstones, there’s always an “Aha!” moment. But getting to that point requires some excavation, and excavation by yourself is difficult. And the best part about a third party’s advice? You don’t have to take it, but it will often work to generate the clarity you need to move forward!
There’s a quote that comes to mind around this: Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Listening to an outside source or your customers might not give us the exact answer, but it can give you the confidence that you’re going in the right direction. There is an eye-opening experience of hearing a different perspective with someone who understands your target audience and understands what you do for a living. Having someone to come help by prompting questions to draw out a very solid procedure gets people to that finish line.
In this fast food, Amazon-driven world, instant gratification makes it tempting to jump in and “shoot first, ask questions later.” But when I look around and see people who’ve been the most successful, they’re the people that have a plan. Take the time to define the plan. It will reduce everyone’s stress, define what success actually looks like and create a road map for your team to navigate.
On a scale of one to 10, how comfortable with you on your personal brand and your corporate brand? I’d love to hear your stories about your brands and how you’ve come to make yourself successful in the marketplace.
