Building Your Brand

If your company was a shoe, what kind would it be?  This is an actual question from a typical branding exercise.   But while a creative team is taking months to debate the merits of your company as a cross trainer versus a stiletto, the competition is talking to your potential customers and setting your brand for you.     This method of brand building is inefficient and oftentimes results in an arbitrary brand image that misses the mark.  

A more efficient and effective way to develop your brand is to start with an honest assessment of your company. For example, what do you do better than anyone else?   Then, talk to your current customers. Find out why they chose you over the competition; how your product or services benefit them; and which factors were the most important during their decision making process.  You might be surprised by what they say.  

 A great brand must do two things: 

  1. Tap into what matters most to your customers 

  2. Match the reality of what your company can deliver 

Both the self-analysis and customer poll will provide valuable insight to ensure the brand you create meets the criteria above.   Cross trainer or stiletto?   The question you should be asking is what brand image matches your customers’ needs.   And, the even bigger question is, “Can your company fill those shoes?”