Ah, brand. It’s an interesting one. Get it right and it can create a stronger connection with your customers. But get it wrong, or leave it floundering in the past, and it can be a real turnoff.
For small businesses brand often develops organically, driven by the strength of the owners and initially easily shared. When a business reaches a certain size though, it can start to become blurry. Visions and objectives can change and conflicting needs can water down who you are and what you stand for.
What your brand is not.
It’s not your logo. Understanding this is really important. That is part of your brand but it isn’t the whole story at all. Customers want more…
So what is brand then?
Brand begins with your essence. With what you stand for as a company. Your vision and values. It then percolates out into everything you do from your visual identity to the way you speak to your customers and deal with any issues that come your way. It drives your culture and raises its head in every conversation you have.
One brilliant description I like is that your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room… it’s more about the perception of others than the way your website looks – and that’s why everything you do matters. You and your brand are stronger if your identity lives and breathes the same messages across all your marketing channels, conversations and deals.
Download this excellent free guide to creating a brand from agency Three Rooms.
Why am I giving you someone else’s resource? Because the part I do is the words.
Why your words matter to brand – and how to make them mightier
The way you communicate with people is all part of your brand – and that covers everything from your visuals to the way you speak in a newsletter or a social post. It’s what we call your tone of voice.
Like brand, tone of voice is often controlled by one person in the early days of a company, but as a business grows and you employ more people it becomes important to adopt a reliable and stable tone across all your communications – from the way you write an advert, to the way you speak on the phone.
We work with companies and organisations to define their tone of voice and, more importantly, offer practical advice, samples and tips on how to use it effectively – and consistently.
Why bother with brand?
Because it can be the difference between walking and flying. very small organisation with very distinctive brands that resonate with there audiences can be hugely successful. It’s what people see of you and how they talk about you – and to be truly successful you need them to be seeing and saying good things.
Ok, so how do I improve my brand?
You can audit your brand by putting on your ‘brand goggles’ and looking at everything from your website to your office space to make sure it’s speaking to your company values.
If you need help with your words, give us a buzz (we can help with the other stuff too, but we’ll always come at it words-first!).
