By Lynn Manternach / Guest Editorial
Is your brand working for you?
Does it translate the essence of your business into something tangible that your targeted customers can see, hear, read and recognize? If the answer to that question is “yes,” don’t mess with it. If you’re not so sure, then it may be time to consider updating your brand.
Your brand is what people first think of when they see or hear your name. It’s how and why they choose to engage with your brand, if at all.
There are certainly easier things to address in your business than branding, but very few have the overall impact of updating your brand.
So how do you know if it’s time to update your brand? Most companies can feel the impact of a weak brand in their bottom line. Has there been a change in the competitive landscape that is impacting growth potential? Have the needs of targeted customers changed? Does the brand tell an outdated story?
For most companies, a brand evolution makes much more sense than a brand revolution. Brand consistency is critical. You don’t want to throw away the brand equity you have worked so hard to build. But how do you know which aspects of the brand are working, and where change makes sense?
The process of updating your brand starts with taking an in-depth look at your current brand. And by “in-depth look,” I mean research. Your brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what consumers say it is. So you have to understand their perceptions. You should also take the time to gather input from your employees. They have a highly relevant perspective on your brand because typically they can see both the inside and the outside of your company.
Once you really understand your current brand and the competitive landscape, positioning your brand is a matter of business strategy as much as brand strategy. Use consumer insight to inform your business strategy, making sure the voice of the consumer is always part of your company’s strategic discussions.
But branding isn’t just about strategy, it’s also about culture. Your brand has to reflect the core beliefs of your organization. Take a close look at how your company operates, and make sure that internal processes and procedures are aligned with the brand. Look at everything from recruiting to orientation to performance reviews. Think about the emotional connections of your brand from the perspective of your employees, and make sure you’re engaging and inspiring them. If they’re not engaged and inspired, it will be much more difficult for them to help engage and inspire customers.
Consistency builds brands, so every encounter with your brand – regardless of where it occurs – must contribute to your brand in a positive way. That means your employees have to understand their role in delivering the brand experience, your product has to live up to the promises you make in your marketing, your web site has to have the same look and emotional feel as your bricks and mortar locations, and the tone and content of your Facebook posts have to be consistently aligned with your brand.
The nuances matter here, because most of us compete in very crowded marketplaces. There are a lot companies that are targeting the same consumer, using the same selling propositions and approaches. A powerful brand provides significant advantages. While rebranding is usually a time-consuming and challenging process, if you get it right, you’ll see a positive impact on your bottom line.
Lynn Manternach is brand arsonist and president at MindFire Communications Inc. (www.mindfirecomm.com) in Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities. Contact her at lmanternach@mindfirecomm.com.
