Branding gives meaning to an organization by shaping its idea in stakeholders' minds. Transforming a business into a brand is no easy task, but at its core is a manageable process that transforms your organization from the inside out. Get going with these starting points.
A brand is everything an organization does or chooses not to do. Every (non)action of your organization influences the perception of your brand. The decision to manage all the moving parts of your organization into a unified whole is the first step to a successful brand.
A brand is the perception of the organization in the mind of its (internal and external) stakeholders. If you have customers, users or employees, you have a brand. Never underestimate the power any of these groups have on your brand.
Effective brands have deeply ingrained values unique and specific to the organization. These values tell your stakeholders exactly what to expect from your organization. When someone interacts with your brand, the interaction should reflect these values.
Culture beats strategy and dictates every brand activity. By closing the gap between core values and their implementation in everyday practice, organizations can improve team alignment and stakeholder relations.
You can’t advertise your way to a recognizable brand. You need to distinguish your organization from your competitors not by following trends, but by finding your core difference - be it an offering, category, benefit or people. Define what makes you the “only”.
Deliver consistent interactions for all your users across all touchpoints. Avoid (non)actions that don’t relate to or enhance your brand. Expose your brand stakeholders to your brand cohesively and repeatedly (but not repetitively) over time to help solidify brand recognition.
Being customer centric and nice to your users does not mean catering to their every whim. Your brand does not need to answer their wants but to answer their needs. Fix their problems and your stakeholders will be the biggest advocates for your brand.
Every part of your organization needs to understand your branding and act accordingly, from the boardroom to the sales floor. External communication of brand values is meaningless and appears fake if your organization cannot match your users' expectations.
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