To fully understand your brand, you want to think about the entire experience one has with your brand and facilities. This includes everything from your logo, Mission Statement, and Web properties to your culture, workplace physical environment and consistency of message across all media. But that’s not all, everything speaks! In a nutshell, your brand is how your company is perceived both by outsiders as well as your employees.
Let’s look at 8 reasons why it is important that you develop a strong brand strategy on a global scale…
1. Branding Promotes Recognition
The marketing “rule of seven” states that a prospect must notice a brand or message seven times before they will take action. Consistent branding will help your potential guests recognize your brand.
2. Branding Sets You Apart
It is critical to stand apart and be recognized through your brand. Iconic brands in history have been known by their visible logo or icon. You can look at a Pepsi logo without the word Pepsi and know exactly who the brand is. The same should be true in your industry if you want your brand to be recognized and able to set you apart.
Your brand icon is important as your prospects and clients will recall it and recognize it. Famous brand icons like Apple, Starbucks, Disney all are highly recognizable without even listing their name
3. Your Brand Creates Connection
A strong brand connects with people at an emotional level, leading to positive feelings and a stronger remembrance of why they interact with your brand in the first place. This can be felt by your visitors, your clients, and even your team. Your employees who
promote your brand are key to this. This is why a strong shared value statement associated with your brand by your employees is also important.
4. Branding Delivers On A Promise
What is your brands promise? Effective and consistent branding need to communicate the “promise” and the differentiator about you and your brand and organization.
5. Your Brand Communicates Your Core Values
Your brand experience illustrates your core values to your members, visitors, and community. Is the interaction with your company telling the right story about who you are and who you aren’t?
Your brand color is important as it conveys feelings, emotions, and experiences. Think of John Deere, Kodak, Target and what colors come to mind?
6. Your Brand Provides Motivation & Direction
Your brand strategy provides the clarity that your staff and clients need to be successful in reaching collective goals. This needs to be communicated effectively everywhere!
A lobby welcome sign like the one shown here can help introduce or re-enforce your brand
7. A Strong Brand Leads To More Referrals and mentions
People love to tell others about the brands they like. A strong brand will make people more inclined to wear and share your brand, meaning greater awareness and more opportunities to refer business and identify and market successes and case studies that show why your company is important to do business with.
8. Branding Creates Clarity & Focus
It’s very easy to get sidetracked from your original goals or plans. A clear brand strategy helps you stay focused on your church’s mission and vision. Your brand can help you be strategic and will guide your efforts saving time and money
Common areas in your building can passively promote and reinforce your brand
In closing, your brand must be an active part of your culture, your sales and marketing efforts, and continuously promote and reflect your organizations value. As former Nike and Starbuck executive Scott Bedbury put it: “A brand is a story always being told”.
Need help building your brand? See some of our work and inspiration on our Pinterest site, and our website! Or simply Contact us for a consultation.
