Build Your Corporate Brand … Before Someone Builds It for You Product/Service Management LAP 10 The How To’s of Corporate Branding

Objectives Describe how a small business approaches branding. Take specific steps to build a corporate brand. Build Your Corporate Brand… Before Someone Builds It for You

Objective Describe how a small business approaches branding.

It’s a mistake to think that branding and sales are two separate things. It’s a mistake to think that branding and sales are two separate things. Every business should do it from the start. Every business should do it from the start. The business’s brand should be present in everything the business does—including sales. The business’s brand should be present in everything the business does—including sales. Without branding, no business can be a success. Without branding, no business can be a success. Corporate branding is not just for big businesses. Corporate branding is not just for big businesses. Corporate branding is something that every business should do. Corporate branding is something that every business should do. “I’m too busy to worry about branding!”

Corporate Brands Relate to customers on emotional and rational levels Relate to customers on emotional and rational levels Should be part of the overall business strategy Should be part of the overall business strategy Should be based on the business’s values and philosophy of doing business Should be based on the business’s values and philosophy of doing business Are all of the impressions and experiences consumers associate with a particular company Are all of the impressions and experiences consumers associate with a particular company “This store always has all my favorite clothes and is always helpful! I’m letting my friends know about this store.” “That company’s employees are rude to me. I’m telling all my friends not to buy from them!” May be positive or negative, depending on how customers are treated May be positive or negative, depending on how customers are treated

 Helps businesses stand out among the competition Benefits of Developing a Corporate Brand  Attracts customers  Helps business become profitable  Encourages business to stay on course toward its goals

Approach everything from the customer’s perspective. The Key to Branding Shape your brand so that customers want to come back. … …

Commit to being the “ Brand Champion. ”  Encourage employees to adopt the brand. Where Should You Begin Corporate Branding?  Look for ways to integrate your corporate brand into business operations.  Commit to understanding your customers.  Keep the brand alive and well.

What does your business do better than anyone else? Strengths. What do you do that your competitors do not? What makes your business special? How does your business benefit your customers? Consider Your Business’s

Gain insight into your desired brand by reviewing your: Mission or vision statement Review Your Business’s Foundations. Business plan Goals in starting your business

Understanding Your Customers  Your brand must be meaningful and connect with your customers.  You need to find out: What makes your customers happy and what they expect from a business Who your customers are— demographics, habits, preferences, and values What is important to your customers

Think about the ways your business interacts with customers, called touch points. Look at Your Business Through Your Customers’ Eyes. To sell Jane Smith what Jane Smith buys, you’ve got to see things through Jane Smith’s eyes.

Every touch point is an opportunity to build and reinforce your business’s brand. Examples of touch points: Every touch point is an opportunity to build and reinforce your business’s brand. Examples of touch points: Products Packaging Promotion Employees

Three categories of touch points:  Pre-purchase  Purchase  Post-purchase

How can these touch points be used to reinforce your brand’s core values with customers? All aspects of your operation should embody those brand values. Employees should demonstrate those values in the way they do their jobs. Creating positive customer experiences should be at the forefront of everything you do.

Consider Your Brand Internationally and on the Internet. Where in the world are you planning to do business? Is your brand compatible with other cultures?

Consider your brand internationally and on the Internet. Your brand must stand out on the Internet and connect with customers in meaningful ways. Tools include: Professional- looking web site Distinctive logo Memorable domain name Example Royal Guide Dogs Housen House Painter

Objective Take specific steps to build a corporate brand.

You’re Responsible for Corporate Brand Building. Take the time to involve employees and customers. Approach building your corporate brand as an exciting journey that leads to success.

Steps for Building and Protecting Your Brand What does your business stand for? Define and write out your values. What do you want your business to be?

What is it that your business will consistently deliver to the customer? Your brand promise: Craft Your Brand Promise. Is the most important thing that you can give to your customers Can serve as a reminder for you and your employees Should be described in a maximum of three to four simple statements

Make and maintain emotional connections with customers with your brand personality. Describe your brand personality. Think of your business as a person. What kind of person do you want it to be? How would it think, feel, and behave if it were human? Is it funny or solemn? Loud or soft-spoken? What kind of person do you want it to be? How would it think, feel, and behave if it were human? Is it funny or solemn? Loud or soft-spoken?

Create a detailed “personal” profile of your business that becomes: Describe your brand personality. The basis for your brand personality The essence of what your brand is The framework for how your brand behaves The basis for your brand personality The essence of what your brand is The framework for how your brand behaves

Integrate Your Brand Values. Your employees must understand and embrace the brand’s values, personality, and promise.  Internal branding: Is the process of building your brand among your employees Is integral for branding success Helps to create company loyalty among your workforce Is the process of building your brand among your employees Is integral for branding success Helps to create company loyalty among your workforce

Integrate Your Brand Values.  Educate your employees so that they understand how to demonstrate the brand’s core values as they do their jobs every day. Your employees are your brand ambassadors.  Your brand needs to be evident in everything that they do.  The human touch points between employees and customers are the most crucial component of corporate branding.  Your brand needs to be evident in everything that they do.  The human touch points between employees and customers are the most crucial component of corporate branding.

Integrate Your Brand Values. Your brand values should become part of the culture and atmosphere of your business.  Place brand cues throughout the workplace.  Keep the brand in everyone’s mind.

Integrate Your Brand Values. More tangible aspects of your business will need to be integrated as well.  Examples:  Redesigning your billing statements  Changing your phone “on hold” messages  Revising return policies to be consistent with brand values  Redesigning your billing statements  Changing your phone “on hold” messages  Revising return policies to be consistent with brand values

You can do this by listening to your customers and your employees.  Talk with both groups as often as possible.  Find out what your customers’ impression of your brand is. Evaluate the Effectiveness of Your Brand.

You will find areas that need to be fine-tuned.  Take feedback to heart.  Don’t change your values, vision, and personality but you may modify business operations to better:  Be ready to make substantive, reasonable changes. Deliver on your brand promise Communicate the brand to your customers Reach your business goals Evaluate the Effectiveness of Your Brand.

 Lots of professional athletes are behaving badly.  Their employers have imposed fines on the athletes, suspended them and, in some cases, terminated their contracts.  Employers think the poor behavior is hurting corporate brands.  To safeguard their brands, should the sport leagues punish players for what they do off the field?  Or, should the players’ private lives be just that—private?

Acknowledgments: Lelia Ventling and April J. Miller, MBA Research Version 2.0 Copyright  2009 MBA Research and Curriculum Center Original Developers:

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