An article by: Cobus Redelinghuys (PG13 Media)
What is a "BRAND"
Although a brand is very much literal "image" and "graphic" related, it is also much more than that and holds much deeper meaning for both you and your business. This article explains this in basic terms.
Branding is not just creating an image or logo and having everything look the same. It begins at the core of your business and evolves into a way of life.
Some questions to ask yourself:
* Why do you go to work every morning?
* What is your purpose?
* What do you want to achieve today?
"It is not possible to get excited about the future if we don't believe in something. We have to believe in a dream, and work towards making it a reality. If we don't, the time we spend becomes meaningless. So let's start doing something about it."
This article is about the things we believe in, and how they can make a difference to our lives and how to create a winning brand.
Many customers approach us every day and it is up to us to make their dreams a reality, but before we can attempt to assist them, we have to take a look at what shape we are in.
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BUT WHAT IS A BRAND? - this is where you need to concentrate;
A "brand" is the personality of a company, it is the defining characteristics that makes the things we buy unique. Here's an example: When you're thirsty, you don't just ask for cooldrink, you ask for a Coke. When you're hungry, you don't say I'm going to buy fast food, you say I'm getting McDonalds, or when someone asks you what shoes you're wearing you don't say sneakers, you say Nike's.
I think you get the picture.
In other words, a brand is made up of the thoughts and emotions that people associate with a product. Your brand identity lies at the heart of all your operations, it captures what you stand for and the essence lies in your company's values.
By filtering everything we do through these values, we create a very distinct and unified image which establishes a brand identity, in other words, what you as an organisation stand for - and that is your mission statement.
This statement gives you purpose, it is the driving force behind all levels of your organisation, from the CEO to the receptionist - it is your internal mission statement. You have the ability to provide the ultimate product/service because: "no one understands the product/service like you do".
This is what you as an organisation should believe in. Your customers don't simply come to you for a product or service, they come to you to improve their lives. This is the motivation behind your payoff line or company slogan.
With this statement you are promising your customers that when they make you their supplier, you will turn their aspirations into a reality.
A corporate culture is made up of the set of beliefs, attitudes and accepted behaviours that a group of people that work together hold. Basically put: "it's the way we do things around here".
You want to become a company that is good at identifying the unique skills different people bring to your business. You want to develop these skills and incite everyone to be the best that they can be - because satisfied, stimulated people are creative, productive and motivated. It is only this kind of team that can provide "the ultimate service".
Take a minute to think about your immediate work environment. Consider how you feel about your business and the people that work with you. Are you having an electrifying influence on each other? If not, it's quite simple to change it. We have to cultivate the ability to inspire. It's highly contagious. Every singe person in your business has to become contagious.
How to make it happen:
Once you understand what your higher purpose is at work, you need to accept and commit yourselves to this dream. This is when the things we do start to become meaningful.
But how are you going to do it?
It starts with you. Your attitude rubs off on those around you. Once your people are united and working toward a clear and definite goal, your internal culture becomes very powerful.
With this unique attribute, the external world will begin to see you as a company that is prepared to give them something beyond the ordinary, something they cannot experience anywhere else.
By living your brand values, you can start to work toward your goal and practice what you preach. An important aspect in attaining this goal is tied up in building meaningful relationships. At your company the customer can expect to be related to, and that makes all the difference.
Here are some ideas:
* Enjoy what you do, it shows.
* Take the initiative, don't wait for someone to tell you what to do.
* Take a keen interest in your customers. If someone asks you a question, never reply with "I don't know", rather try to find someone that can help.
* Empower yourself with knowledge.
* Learn something new every day.
* Have fun !
Your first assignment is to answer some serious questions:
* What do you think of the company culture at the moment?
* What would you suggest to improve it?
* What is your immediate goal at work?
* How are you going to make it happen?
These questions can also be posed to your staff. Take the time to read their responses and consider their thoughts.
These are the basic fundamental building blocks for a successful business brand. So as you can now see, it is not just a product name or logo but it is about what stands behind it and what inspires it. So build your brand, starting with core values and you will see a distinct difference in the success of your brand.
"We make decisions every day based on the way things look. The same goes for your brand: your logo, your business cards, your website, brochures etc. are a reflection of your company. More often than not, customers interpret quality design work as quality products. We are in the business of making your brand look good. This means translating your brand and company values into compelling visual and interactive formats. All aspects – from your logo and business card design to the sound of your receptionist’s voice say a significant amount about your business and brand. When these are streamlined and strategic, these messages can form a positive emotional link with your customer. Our profession at PG13 is to consult on these matters and collaboratively refine your brand strategy."
