You probably already know that mass creates gravity, and if not for gravity’s ability to attract and keep things in place, our universe would be filled with nothing more than gaseous, nondescript clouds of matter.
If it weren’t for brands, the business landscape would be in a similar state.
At their most primitive, a brand visually distinguishes one business from others. Done thoughtfully, it also provides the promise of some unique value that certain people will be drawn to.
Customers.
And if that same brand has been used to design the experience those customers receive once they show up, they’ll start to trust you because – to them – you’ve lived up to your promise. A good number of them will even come back, and some will bring friends.
Now you need employees.
Using the brand to drive your recruitment efforts will attract candidates that are naturally intrigued by what the brand stands for. Hire them, and they will become advocates for your brand. Their natural enthusiasm will fortify your business from the inside out.
So you see, the more centered your business is around your brand, the denser it becomes, and this concentration creates its own gravitational pull. Attraction and retention of customers and employees requires less effort and expense because people are more likely to come to you.
Fortunately, you don’t need to be a Fortune 500 company to enjoy the effects of a clear and cohesive brand.
As you go about making business decisions, simply consider how your choices will affect your brand’s mass. There will of course be times when business needs outweigh the brand’s, but in general you want to be sure that your brand has a seat at the boardroom table way more often than not.
Here are some places to start.
- Advertising/marketing – Your brand is a promise your company makes about its services or products. The more interesting/unique/valuable/consistent you are, the better. This also applies to life in general now I think of it.
- Experience design – If done properly, your marketing creates an expectation, and the experiences your company/people/products/services provide must live up to it. You may already be dropping the ball, but the question is where?
- Product/service development – Use it as a guide for creating natural extensions to your current offering. Your existing customers will be all over it. Also consider co-branding initiatives with brands that are complementary to yours.
- Recruitment – Use it to enrich your efforts and attract people with similar values and mindset. Employees who relate to your brand will stick around longer, work harder and be full of ideas.
If you suspect you could be doing more with your brand but are unsure of how or where to start, we can help. We’ve been making brands just like yours more irresistible for decades. Contact Nick for a no-strings attached video chat.
Keep it Human.