As brand management consultants, we have identified some rules of thumb to help you quickly determine how well your organization has embraced “inside out” branding.
You know your brand ‘has arrived’ when…
•Your CEO talks more about the ‘brand vision’ than financial targets
•Organizational leaders ‘walk the brand talk’
•Employees know what makes their brand special
•The brand’s external messages ‘ring true’ with employees
•Competition always mentions your brand as a point of reference
•The press can’t seem to write enough about your brand
•Customers brim with enthusiasm about the brand
•The brand’s market share is increasing
Organizations that do the following are much more likely to have enthusiastic and loyal employees when:
•They understand why they are in business
•They deliver unique and compelling benefits to their customers
•They treat their customers well
•They can be relied on to do what they say they will do
•The values from which they operate are admirable
•They are consistent in how they behave at each customer touchpoint
Bill Stacy, one of my bosses at Hallmark Cards, was fond of saying, “Remember to thank our customers for your pay check.” This statement was a constant reminder that all of an organization’s revenues and profits result from one thing – customers who are willing to pay money for products and services that meet their needs. Any brand management initiative, any marketing initiative, and indeed any business or organizational initiative must start with a solid understanding of the customer.
Indeed, organizations exist for one purpose – to meet human needs. Thriving organizations do that exceedingly well. Venerated organizations have managed to meet evolving human needs over a long period of time.
The Blake Project Can Help: Please email us for more about our brand culture expertise.
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education
