A brand reflects a business's personality and guides its actions

We all know famous brands like Apple, Nike, and Zappos. How did these brands become so well-known? Many people think building a brand is about trying different things, having good timing, and being lucky. This is not true at all. Brands become iconic when a company understands its brand and uses that knowledge to guide daily business operations. A brand is more than how people see your company and products. It represents your business's personality and should be reflected in everything your company does. Successful brands know people don't just buy products based on price and quality. Instead, they look at the feelings and values linked to a brand. For example, getting coffee at Starbucks isn't just about caffeine. It's also about the experience - the music, the furniture, and the employees' smiles - that you notice every time you walk in.

Great brands also bring additional benefits. For instance, companies can earn more money. According to a study by the strategy consultancy Vivaldi Partners, customers are willing to pay higher prices for products with well-known brand names compared to other products. Companies that have a strong brand find it easier to align their organization with a set of values. A brand acts like a strategic guide, helping the company decide how to shape its corporate culture, create processes, and plan marketing campaigns. Starbucks values its customers' in-store experience and avoids cutting costs by purchasing cheaper furniture, despite the potential short-term savings. Such decisions would not align with the company's brand.

Your company's culture is fundamental to your brand's identity

Many people believe brands only serve advertising and marketing purposes. However, a brand is equally crucial internally. When a company aligns its culture with its brand's values, it helps employees collaborate better towards shared objectives. Proper alignment with your brand is crucial for connecting with customers. Picture your brand as a light that shines on potential customers. Your business, including suppliers and salespeople, acts as the link between the brand and the customer. If these parties don't share the brand's values, they can block or distort the brand's message, reducing its effectiveness.

To prevent this issue, you must resolve any gaps or inconsistencies between your company's brand values and its operations. Informing every stakeholder about your brand and its significance is crucial. Each person needs to grasp how their actions affect the brand and how they can accurately represent it, improving its value through daily work. A brand toolbox is a handy tool that helps employees grasp and apply company values every day. It could be like a set of cards or a small book, with examples and stories that connect to your company's core beliefs. Brand engagement sessions help employees grasp how brand values impact all business aspects. Starbucks, for instance, conducted one where managers saw a presentation on a coffee bean's journey from farm to cup. It explained how the company's brand influenced every step.

Build emotional bonds with customers to create strong brand connections

Initially, a slogan like "Just Do It" might seem ineffective because it doesn't mention Nike or their products. So, how did this phrase become one of the most famous brand slogans ever? Successful branding focuses on feelings, not just items for sale. It's about forming a deep emotional tie between the brand and the customer. Scott Bedbury, Nike's former head of marketing, explained that "'Just Do It' wasn't just about shoes. It was about beliefs. It wasn't about things you buy, but what the brand stands for." Athletes, both professional and amateur, shared their stories and achievements, focusing on their feelings and successes, without mentioning Nike. Afterward, the tagline was revealed. Nike's campaign sparked strong emotions, prompting people to share stories of personal achievement. Some wrote to Nike, sharing how they had quit unhappy jobs, started exercising, or ended toxic relationships.

How can you effectively connect with your customers on an emotional level? A useful method involves empathetic research. You ask customers questions like, "How do you feel when purchasing the product?" and "What need does buying and/or using the product fulfill?" This approach helps you understand your customers' personal experiences better. Pampers, Europe's top-selling disposable diaper brand in 1998, faced declining sales despite its effective dryness for babies' bottoms. By conducting empathetic research, the company learned that young mothers valued their babies' sleep quality more than dry diapers. In response, Pampers developed diapers designed to help babies sleep better. As a result, sales quickly improved.

Innovative brands lead trends, not chase them

Some people believe that to create a strong brand, it's crucial to stay up-to-date with current trends. However, following trends can be risky. Trends change quickly, and trying to adjust your brand to each change can harm its integrity. Copying your competitors' trends positions you as a follower, not a leader. Consumers will see your products as similar but labeled with "-er" (like bigger, cheaper, faster). Your company, product, or brand shouldn't be seen this way. Hyundai is positioned in customers' minds as being comparable to Lexus but more affordable. This perception limits Hyundai as seen as imitative rather than innovative. In contrast, Lexus holds an emotional edge, which significantly influences consumer preference.

Rather than going with what's popular, it's better to forge your way. One effective approach is to question prevailing trends: challenging the norms and widely accepted beliefs that dominate your field. Chipotle, a fast food chain, went against industry norms. Instead of lowering prices and expanding menus like Taco Bell, Chipotle chose to use expensive, high-quality ingredients and pay higher wages to its employees. This strategy paid off; despite higher prices, Chipotle became incredibly successful. Starbucks foresaw that American society was moving towards increased feelings of isolation. They adapted by designing their stores as a welcoming "third place" between home and work. This strategy aimed to combat societal trends towards isolation by providing a comfortable social environment.

Not every great brand aims to satisfy everyone

Following every new trend blindly can harm your brand, just like chasing customers without focus. While it might boost profits temporarily, trying to please everyone can undermine your brand's honesty. Successful brands don't try to attract every customer. Instead, they concentrate on their main customers. Begin by knowing your customers-who they are, what they need, and how you want your brand to serve them. This starts with identifying different groups of potential customers based on their needs.

First, pinpoint your core customers-those who are most likely to buy from you. Then, analyze their daily routines to find when they need your product the most. Focus your marketing on those needs that align best with what your brand offers. A snack company used customer preferences to decide what snacks people wanted and why they wanted them. One morning, they found out people needed something to feel strong and full of energy for the day. This fits perfectly with their brand's focus on being healthy and enjoyable. So, they launched a new campaign called "pump up" to match this need.

Why Trying to Please Everyone Can Hurt Your Brand

One more reason not to try pleasing everyone is that it leads to a bland brand, and you'll still have critics no matter what you do. Brands with character and honesty, on the other hand, will always attract loyal customers and supporters Red Bull, an energy drink company, faced early controversy when rumors suggested it was a dangerous drug. Surprisingly, the company's founder even created a website to spread these rumors, yet Red Bull is now highly successful. The founder cared just as much about teachers disliking his brand as students loving it.

Top brands stick to their core, even if rejecting tempting opportunities

Apart from blindly following trends and chasing every customer, another big mistake brands can make is focusing too much on growing. CEOs often face pressure to launch new products, expand services, and grow the business. However, prioritizing growth over brand reputation can lead to the downfall of even successful brands. In the 1990s, Krispy Kreme became a sensation with its delicious, freshly made doughnuts. Their stores were carefully designed to attract customers using sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound. To meet shareholders' growth expectations and boost profits quickly, Krispy Kreme started selling its doughnuts at gas stations and grocery stores. This move harmed the doughnuts' quality and ruined consumers' experience with the brand. As a result, sales and profits dropped sharply, nearly destroying the brand's reputation.

When faced with tough strategic or moral choices, refer to your company's core ideology. This includes the values, goals, and traits that you've promised your customers will never be compromised. Companies focused on their brand should only pursue growth and changes that align with this core ideology. Jim Collins, in his popular book Good to Great, explains that successful brands face the challenge of not just finding growth chances, but deciding which ones to pursue. Sometimes, companies encounter tempting "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunities. However, they need the discipline to decline opportunities that don't align with their core beliefs and goals. Krispy Kreme didn't realize how important the store experience was for its brand. Instead, it focused on quick profits, which almost ruined its reputation.

Ensure every customer touchpoint aligns perfectly with the brand's ethos

Creating a strong brand is tough when every part of your company presents a consistent image to customers. Even big firms with many customer-facing teams need to blend their brand into all areas. To succeed, focus on two things:

• First; Identify all points where your company interacts with customers. These can include packaging, marketing, sales channels, and customer support. The customer experience hinges on these interactions. A negative encounter, like unfriendly customer support or a malfunctioning website, can spoil an otherwise positive brand experience. Your product stands out as the most critical touchpoint, shaping overall customer satisfaction.
• Next, ensure every interaction reflects your brand's values. Track how well employees uphold these values at each point of contact and how customers perceive them.

REI, an American sports gear retailer, found significant differences in prices and product details between their online and offline stores. Moving swiftly, the company fixed these issues to protect its brand from further harm. To create the best customer experience at these points, how can you design it? Consider the specifics-they're essential for linking your brand and customers effectively. Steve Jobs learned from early investor Mike Markkula that every detail of a product matters. This includes how it looks, feels, and even smells. These factors together create a complete experience for the customer, like a carefully planned theater performance. This attention to detail has been crucial to Apple's success.

Ensure all customer experiences align with the brand for great companies

Talking about the benefits of a powerful brand often focuses on how it helps companies. But it goes beyond that. Making a positive impact, known as "doing good," is crucial for branding. In 2012, branding experts John Gerzema and David Roth argued that society is entering a new era where a company's reputation and brand are becoming indistinguishable. Previously, companies could rely solely on factors like innovation, quality, and price to build their reputation. Now, things have changed. Customers now prioritize trustworthiness and responsibility towards people and the environment when choosing brands. A study found 73% of buyers would switch brands to one that supports a good cause.

Ensure your company's charitable contributions are generous and sincere. If they seem calculated, they won't be seen as truly beneficial. Consumers might view this as "greenwashing": making profits while appearing charitable. Businesses sometimes engage in unrelated environmental or social projects to divert attention from their own harmful impacts. If BP announced a charity project to save 1,000 acres of rainforest, would you see them as environmentally conscious? Probably not. Focus on creating value for both your company and the outside world. Support projects aligned with your industry, community, or target customers. Ensure these projects reflect your brand's beliefs. For example; Starbucks launched the "Create Jobs for USA" program, offering financial help to local businesses in need. This initiative reflected Starbucks' commitment to social responsibility.

Ensure all staff embody and uphold our brand values consistently

Previously, we discussed how a strong brand serves as a guiding compass for your entire organization, influencing everyday decisions. To achieve this, you must put your brand strategy into action by embedding two key brand-building skills across your entire company. Begin by sharing your brand and strategy with everyone in your company. Keep all employees informed about your brand. Stress that your brand is vital to your business, not just a small part of it. Make sure this issue is a top priority by requiring employees to follow it. For instance, you could give surprise quizzes about brand values. Another idea is to reward employees who really show these values. Regularly organize activities for employees to learn about and experience the company's brand values. Examples include brand toolkits and sessions to engage with the brand, as mentioned earlier.

To effectively execute your brand strategy, start by launching projects that align your entire organization with long-term goals. For instance, Apple's focus on design became ingrained across the company. Projects require leaders and advocates who embody company values. They break down barriers like rigid departments. At Apple, Steve Jobs himself managed this, focusing heavily on design. A brand isn't just for marketing-it's crucial for organizing your business and making tough decisions.