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November 14, 2005
5 Steps to Building a Strong Brand
We know how hard this is. The idea of a “strong brand” and all that it implies is the Holy Grail of the customer relationship for many companies. In a recent presentation a “C” level exec really didn’t want the long version; “Summarize it,” he said. Luckily this was in my back pocket…
Step 1: Assessment
Understand your internal and external brand perceptions and your customers relationships with your brand. Identify perceptual “gaps.” Understand and prioritize “important” vs. “believable” attributes for your brand, and profile your competition.
Step 2: Strategy
Prioritize those values and attributes that drive audience perceptions and communicate key differentiators and benefits.
Step 3: Architecture
Brand architecture needs to communicate brand and messaging priorities through product and service lines, customer segments, divisional and/or subsidiary relationships, and distribution channels.
Step 4: Application
Be relentlessly consistent with communicating what your brand is, and delivering it across all internal and external channels with all Touchpoints, through all communications and interactions.
Step 5: Monitoring
Brands must be monitored to ensure that they retain relevance with key audiences; explicit responsibility for custodianship and periodic brand audits and tracking studies provide ongoing market-driven feedback.
Posted by MCorp. at 14.11.2005 16:15 | Permalink
Comments
Yes, I agree those steps are important. But isn't it a little too neat? Too formulaic? These are five steps to *implement* a brand, not to drive a compelling one. A strong brand requires passion; passion from company and customer alike. Perhaps next time tell the CXO this:
"1)Identify the source of passion within your company. 2)Ignite your staff and partners with it. 3)Turn the firebrand onto your customers. 4)Stay true to your passion. How can you do this? I have a handy checklist right here in my pocket..."
Posted by: DJHowatt at December 10, 2005 6:46 PM