Barry Raber wrote an article for Forbes titled Do You Even Know Your Own Brand? 5 Questions to Get Your Brand Crystal Clear (4 December 2023).
« Can you clearly describe what your brand is and what it isn’t? Can your newest hire articulate it, and do they understand how their day-to-day actions reinforce it? Could your latest customer describe it? When you make strategic decisions, is it easy to determine what’s on-brand—and what’s off-brand? »
« 1. What’s our brand promise? You want customers to experience your brand promise every time they interact with your company. Questions to help you define this include:
- What distinguishes your products and services from the competition?
- What is superior about the value you offer?
- What do you want the customer to experience every time?
Your brand promise should include three things at most… Example: In-N-Out Burger’s brand promise is “Give customers the freshest, highest-quality foods and provide them with friendly service in a sparkling-clean environment.” »
« 2. How do we want our customers to feel? … Feelings and emotions are the essence of the brand and are critical to articulate. »
« 3. What won’t we do? … Start by listing what you won’t provide to customers for any reason, whether it’s too costly, requires too many resources or is simply off-brand… Consider what you don’t like about how competitors treat customers or what they fail to provide. »
« 4. What’s our ‘because?’ What do you want customers to say about you? How should they complete the sentence, “I would recommend [your company name] because ___________?” It’s what comes after because that is the essence of your brand, according to Gerry O’Brion in his book, They Buy Your Because: Closing the Sale in a Crowded Market.»
« 5. What’s our action plan? The last step is brainstorming the actions your team can take to deliver the brand consistently. … Example: “We drop everything and connect when a customer enters the office.” »
« Now that you’ve answered the five questions, put them all on a single page. »
« Both strategic and tactical decisions are much easier when you know your brand promise—how you want customers to feel, what you will and won’t do, what you want your reputation to be and which actions reinforce your brand. »
« When your brand is defined with this much thoughtful detail, all your employees know and live your brand, and you’ll find it echoed in the reviews and words of your customers. »
Articles of Interest 