To many SMEs, especially those just starting out, the idea of
brand building may seem like it belongs to another level of
business all together - something only for large corporates to
think about.
The fact is, however, that in an increasingly crowded and
competitive market place, helping your business stand out is vital.
Having an identifiable brand - regardless of the kind of business
you run - does just that.
Building a brand doesn't have to entail a large budget. In fact,
most of what it requires doesn't cost money at all. What it does
need is some clear thinking, and understanding that a brand is
certainly NOT just a logo and a slogan. A brand is a promise to
your customers and stakeholders of what you stand for and what they
can expect you to deliver.
The first thing is to decide what kind of brand you want and is
appropriate for you to build.
What should your company and the services or products it offers
and the way it offers them communicate to people? If it were a
person, what kind of person would it be? What words would you use
to describe them?
It's important to keep your feet on the ground at this point and
be clear that your brand is the right one for the marketplace
you're in. There's little point in trying to project your
business as a high-end retailer when in fact you're a corner shop
and customer loyalty will be built as much as anything else on
knowing customers by name, for example, or your having a little
time to chat with them.
Your brand must be relevant and meaningful to your customers
first and foremost.
Once you've decided what kind of personality you want your
business to have, this must be used to inform everything you and
your staff do and say. That's why it's important to settle on brand
values that can be applied practically and aren't just meaningless
slogans. Brand values are part of the foundation of the brand; they
inform the customer of a business's intentions and of what and how
it will deliver its promise to customers.
Projecting your brand is probably best done in concrete steps,
by focusing on the small things your company does and working
upwards. This avoids falling into the 'logo, empty slogan'
trap.
For example, if politeness, efficiency and prompt service are
going to be part of your brand - and what company doesn't want them
to be? - then you must translate this into practical measures. If
you can't create practical targets for your brand values, then come
up with new ones because the ones you've got don't
work.
Again, it's best to start with the small things: the aim of
'service with integrity' might begin with, say, targets for
answering all phone calls within three rings, specifics about how
you speak to customers and what you say to them. But it should also
translate into how you deal with suppliers, and internally how
managers speak to staff.
Everyone should be clear what the brand values are and how they
should be projected. All these factors will combine to create
the overall character of your business, which will translate into
brand.
Here, for instance, are two brand values most companies would
aspire to: 'Putting Customers First" and 'Offering Excellent
Value".
Great! But in order to create a brand that actually has these
attributes associated with it, they must be translated into
practical measures customers (and staff) can experience - otherwise
they are a waste of time.
So, HOW do you put customers first and HOW are you offering
excellent value within the context of the whole market place?
If you can answer these questions satisfactorily - and you need to
be brutally honest about this - then you have come up with a way of
creating a brand concept that has real resonance.
At every point your business has a connection with customers -
so called touch points - you should find a way of allowing your
brand values to influence the experience: everything, from the
letterheads on your stationary, the appearance of your reception
(if you have one), to your refund policy and delivery
targets.
Just as important is not to promise what can't be delivered
because reputations require time and a great deal of effort and
attention to detail to build; by contrast, they can be smashed very
quickly if you fail to meet the expectations you've
created.
So, in summary:
Fit your brand to the customer base your business is aiming at.
Find what they want and admire. Cater to these customers' needs and
be relevant to them. Make these your brand values.
Translate your brand into small, practical steps and measurable
targets. Any brand concept that can't be turned into concrete
actions should be revised or replaced with one that can.
Make sure all employees understand the businesses' brand values
and how these are demonstrated every day, at every customer contact
point, but also internally among staff.
While brand is so much more than just a snappy logo, the visual
is still very important, so, make sure your company looks the part
in all regards.
