Last week I posted a blog about corporate identity development and branding as an important facet of your overall web marketing strategy, and why it’s so important to your overall success.Because this is such an important area that can easily be overlooked, I’d like to delve deeper into the subject and explore, again, the distinct facets that make up a brand and why maintaining continuity in these areas is so important to your long-term success.
Whether you’ve developed your brand by intentional design or it’s evolved over time and took on a mind of its own, your brand is what, ultimately, defines and drives your culture, your communication (inside and outside of your organization), your values, and the methods by which you conduct your business overall. The irony here, is that when all is said and done, you’re not actually in control of your brand.
Who’s in Control Here?
Remember the old cliche, “the customer is always right?” Well, when it comes to your brand, nothing rings more true. Your audience, in essence, is the determining factor of your brand’s image. When all is said and done, it’s their impression that counts, and this is why it’s so important to develop your brand “by design.”
Strive for Excellence in all you do
In my previous post, I shared the distinctions that corporate identity and branding possess and how it’s this synergistic effect that presents a solid brand for your business. Alignment is key here, however, and branding isn’t a one-shot deal. On the contrary, it’s how you consistently present yourself and the overall perception your audience has of you over time.
A well crafted identity package serves a important purpose in that it presents a solid representation of your business that gets you noticed and hopefully, bought. However, it’s your ongoing efforts; your communication, marketing, quality of product and/or service, when delivered with a consistent message of integrity, conviction and commitment to excellence that will deliver an image that causes your brand to be held in high esteem. And in this regard, you are in control.
You’re in Charge of Your Results
When you understand that you can, in fact, manage the thoughts and feelings your stakeholders, employees, suppliers and customers have about you, simply by the way you conduct your business and the image you present, you’re now empowered to create an overall atmosphere and culture that’s in alignment with your core values and vision. A consistent message and intentional communication is key…
The meaning of your communication is the response you get. ~Gregory Bateson
How much positive intention and emphasis you put into aligning and communicating your message will have a direct impact on the results you get. By ensuring that all of your actions and engagement, internally and externally, directly and indirectly, and both pre-sale and post-sale are in line with your desired brand image, you’ll find you’re on a path that allows you to convey your message with clarity and therefore, resonates deeply with your audience. Couple that with a strong identity package and now, you’ll find you’ve got a real recipe for success.