What a brand can do for you
Tim Lewis, director of brand strategy at integrated branding and design consultancy, Small Back Room says: “The brand acts like a navigator for you. It provides a constant framework and helps you get to your vision. For SMEs a strong investment in the brand and taking it seriously gives you a competitive advantage. It positions you as more professional, more considered and easier to trust as a partner.”
Ultimately the reason for investing and thinking about your brand is that this will add value to your company. According to Pam Robertson, director of branding consultancy Brandsmiths, “brand is a real asset. For many the brand will be the only unique asset that they have unless the company is technology based,” adds Robertson.
What is a brand?
But many make the mistake of viewing a brand as nothing more than a name and a logo. Some companies think that once they’ve hit on a good name, designed a funky logo and maybe done some advertising the work of the brand is done.
Creating and building a brand is about far more than this. The ideals behind the brand are the foundation of the company’s ethos. When this is thought through and determined early on, it gives a framework by which the company can operate for years to come.
So how do you create a brand? There are ten elements you need to look at.
Ten tips for effective branding
1. Brand identity. This is the core of what the brand is about. It is what the company, product or service stands for. It is the framework by which customers will recognise and judge you. There should be meaning behind the identity and the root of it should be something that is true.
This can be written down so that it can be constantly referred to and used as guidance for any decisions being made. Some companies go for detailed mission statements but it may only be one sentence that sums up what makes the company unique. At every opportunity it should be referred to and reiterated so that the brand comes through strong and clear to the customers and permeates everything you do.
2. Customers. No matter what the product or service, customers should be put first. And to do this they have to be identified. When you know who your customers are, you will know what they want and what is important to them. If a company can understand what motivates its customers then it can ensure its products meet this. It can reflect the customers’ needs and desires and produce the goods that satisfy what the customer is looking for.
3. Positioning. What differentiates your brand? How does it compare with its competitors? Companies should analyse what makes their brand better than others in the market. Or if it is creating a new sector or service, why that will sell or be preferable to anything else currently on offer.
It might be that you want to offer the best quality, or the cheapest, or the best customer service or simply a different sales route. Whatever the point of difference is, this should be a key element of how the brand operates and needs to be conveyed to customers.
4. Simplicity. If your brand or brand values are too complicated there is more likelihood that it will become confusing. Both your customers and staff need a simple clear message to understand. If the brand name is simple and straightforward this helps. So too does a simple strapline that can be easily used in all your communication.
Short and memorable phrases stick in the memory better. Where possible these can be included in all forms of communication including letters, websites, emails and answering services.
5. Consistency. There is enormous value in being consistent and not chopping and changing. Clear brand guidelines mean staff can follow them easier and ensure they are used consistently. This is vital for building reputation. Repetition is key to recognition.
If staff are following them then there is a greater chance that customers and those outside of the company will understand them. Customers turn to brands that they know will meet their needs time and time again; they do not expect surprises but rather they expect the same level of service or quality repeatedly.
6. Staffing. Involve staff at all levels, ensure that they understand the brand attributes and positioning and believe in them. Then they will be a company’s greatest brand ambassadors. Just as word of mouth builds customers outside a company, happy and evangelical staff will build a brand too. The converse applies too: dissatisfied employees can sabotage a brand all too easily.
7. Communication. Think about all the different channels to market and methods of communication. Your brand is reflected in all its modes of communication. This includes letterheads, brochures, advertising, direct mail, and websites. But it also includes emails, blogs and staff conduct and dress.
In the new media landscape there are many different routes by which potential or existing customers will see your brand and judge you. So it is important to think beyond classic advertising channels when considering how your brand is being presented to the world.
8. Review. Never sit back on your laurels and think the work is done with a brand. Things are constantly changing and life is never static. To ensure you’re not caught off guard carry out regular reviews and checks to ensure that brand consistency is being maintained.
If anything is slipping put in place processes to stop this. This might mean additional training is required or better internal communication is necessary. The sooner problems are picked up on the less likely it is to lead to long term damage to the brand.
9. Planning. Build a stage before you make an entrance – i.e. do the thinking first and make sure it’s all ready. By planning ahead you can establish clear brand strategies to meet your business objectives. Developing a brand plan involves thinking about the short, medium and long term future.
This will protect your brand going forward. Ideally you should be thinking at least five years in the future. This management and planning should then be continued on an on-going basis to minimise the risk of external influences having a detrimental effect on your brand.
10. Brand Promise. Don’t over-promise what you can do. It is better to under-promise and surprise the customer with better service or product quality than to disappoint them.
If you oversell your brand and customers are dissatisfied with what they get, they are far less likely to recommend your brand or return as a customer. This means having a good understanding of what you are capable of delivering as opposed to what you say in your advertising.
If you get it wrong and disappoint a customer correct it and don’t ignore it. Remember if a customer’s complaint is handled well they are more likely to go on and be a brand supporter than if they’d never had to complain in the first place.
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