In my work I am asked to help non-profits strategically analyze and improve their marketing across all mediums. After being hired, it’s inevitable that people within the organization will ask why they have to spend money and time on branding when let’s face it, they have so little of either.
Some staff will find the term alien, even off-putting, so make sure that all staff understands that a brand is not just a logo or a tagline or a mission statement. It is the overall impressions, good or bad that your organization leaves behind, from the materials you send out, to your website being current to the person who answers the phone.
So what are some ways to make everyone on the boat row in the same direction? In my opinion the key is in involving all levels of the staff. It may be a focus group, a task force or asking for input on current perceptions. We all want to be listened too, taken seriously and have our opinions valued. Hiring an outside firm can help create a non-judgmental atmosphere and a promise of no repercussions from upper management. The best cheerleading begins from within an organization and then naturally emanates to the people in the stands.
Now if only we can find a better word than branding, any suggestions out there?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
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2 comments:
Unfortunately the cost of clients not taking their brand seriously is hard to measure--you're trying to track those that didn't take you seriously and never got on board.
Potential clients are looking for trust--the brand promise. Everything that a company puts out about itself is their brand, their personality, their essence, the experience that a client will get by choosing them. How is it that something so important gets denigrated to playing such a small role? And, time is money. It takes a certain amount of time to develop and accurately portray the brand. It needs to be credible from the inception and should be built to last a long time.
I'm not sure what a better word would be. I like promise. It's a representation of what your company promises to deliver. This is represented by everything from the logo, to the treatment they receive on the phone, to their web experience.
Strategic branding experts provide insight and often an objective point of view for the client. They also bring a whole lot of knowledge and expertise with them. Clients should put some trust in their promise.
Hi Ann and Mary Ellen,
Hope all's well.
I believe it's "affecting," rather than "effecting."
A synonym for "brand' might be the fingerprint(s) or "eye recogntion" at the ATM that can uniquely identify you and your business.
It's the DNA! that makes you and your company ROCK!
best regards,
fran reinstein
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