Branding goes way beyond a logo, an ad, or a campaign.
Branding is the complete message. Whether online, in retail, on paper, in person, or over the phone.
How do you show up in the world?
Do you act one way behind closed doors & another way with your client?
Can they hear you smile on that conference call?
5 Brand Truths to use right now:
1. We judge a book by its Cover
You mean well – in fact, you have the best intentions for your business. You just can’t find the time or resources for the details.
You know the ‘small stuff’ … like washing the company car, removing the scraps of paper and coffee stains from the conference room table, using your logo on all your eSignatures, re-merchandising your shelves at the end of a day, refilling all the salt shakers … and the list goes on.
Trivial details, right? Wrong.
In fact, these are the first things people see and the last memories they will have of your brand. So few companies take the time to sweat the small stuff. And then they wonder why the cover needs to change.
2. Keep it Consistent
There is one version of your logo on the website, another on your Facebook page, and a third, with a totally different Panton on last year’s pens (that you are still giving to prospects as corporate tokens).
Do you change your name every day?
Maybe one day, you add an “e” at the end, another day, the “g” is silent, by the end of the week, your colleagues use your middle name instead?
Probably not.
So why do we feel the justification to switch out corporate branding on a whim?
Here’s a secret to mull over : consumers get upwards of a few thousand marketing messages a day.
Keep it consistent and increase your chances of being remembered.
3. Know your Why
The number of business owners I’ve spoken to who cannot answer their “WHY” is mind-blowing.
By the why, I mean, the bigger reason for their existence other than to make a profit. Profit is the outcome, not the driving force.
Because when times get tough (and they always do), when the industry gets saturated (as new competition emerges), when your largest client leaves (for better cost-savings) what will be left if there is no why?
What will be that driving force, propelling you, each and every day?
Simon Sinek describes it well, and shares tons of success stories of people and organizations who believed in their WHY at such a deep level, that nothing could stop them.
Because this is what people buy into.
At a very subconscious and powerful level. They buy your story, your human side. Your reason for a better tomorrow.
4. Walk your Talk
They just keep getting the wrong impression … how can that be?
The company website has been relaunched, the letterhead matches the office paint, even the last advertising campaign looked great online.
So what is the problem?
How does your brand image spill over to the rest of your daily activities? How does your staff dress? Do you answer the phone with a smile? How is your posture when you are presenting ? Do you remember your clients’ names, stories, requests?
The fact of the matter is – there are many versions of your company that likely look as good as you do. Some will even have solid communication strategies, so their words have more impact.
But what are words and what are looks, if nothing else is aligned?
Focus on your non-verbal and begin walking.
5. Sum it up … in 1 Word
After all the content strategy is ready, after your tagline is chosen, and after everyone on the team knows the company mission by heart … there is one thing left to do : find your word.
This secret word sums up everything you do, the WHY, the uniqueness you desire – this becomes your brand essence. It often reflects the founder’s vision and lives amongst years of programming and conditioning.
This word truly describes your DNA at a level so profound that it can set you apart for generations to come.
So how do we find this word? Through archetypal brand development, we discover your traits and values.
It becomes clear what you have to offer the world at even the most elementary level. Because it shouldn’t be complicated to sum it up.
Find your essence and see the difference.
Take these 5 truths to heart.
I dare you to implement them and watch the results.
#TruthorDare
