Developing a consistent brand image is one of the bedrock principles of brand marketing; yet it is probably the principle that most organizations tell me they have the most difficulty executing in real life.
Why?
Because if your organization excels at what you do, your first instinct when faced with a publicity opportunity is to respond, not to take a step back and analyze.
Even if you have a detailed plan for regular communications (which many organizations lack), ask yourself if you have planned for every contingency. What do you do if you suddenly have the opportunity to secure a prime spot in that trade show magazine, respond to a hot topic in the news on your local radio station, or get quoted in a national magazine? If you are like most organizations, you seize the chance before you have the chance to talk with a Branding leader like me or with my firm, Brand Inspiration. You cobble together a quick response, pull together a fast ad, or hit reply and send a quote via email, only to realize in hindsight that it doesn’t reflect the full range of what your Brand can do or doesn’t portray your organization in the most opportune light. It’s not necessarily bad, per se, but you look back at it later and say, “We should have done X, Y or Z.”
Day in and day out, these sudden opportunities to capture the interest of a potential customer, particularly but not exclusively when that chance arises online, often get pursued by individuals in your organization before you or your marketing team have a chance to take a step back and ask: “How do we take full advantage of this in the proper way that’s right for us in the long run?”
Before you say we can’t do that in the heat of the moment, I’m here to tell you that you can — IF you invest the time to develop a consistent brand image on the front end — long before these opportunities arise.
How? By working with your marketing and executive team to fully develop a brand strategy that works for your organization. No matter which platform you are dealing with or what particular campaign you are undertaking, you need someone on your team who is willing to take a step back and ask whether what you are producing now is consistent with the brand image you ultimately want to portray. By taking the time to craft your image and to disseminate your Brand strategy to everyone in your team, you’ll be better equipped to ensure that the image and message of your Brand maintains its consistency and integrity regardless of the situation.
Of course, not every organization has the resources of a full brand team at their disposal. That’s where a leader like me and my firm, Brand Inspiration, can help! At #BrandInspiration, we offer value-packed monthly packages that give you the chance to develop your organization’s unique Brand with a Branding leader and to get project feedback from high-level creative experts who understand your organization’s story and vision for the future.
Visit us at https://squareup.com/market/michaeldesroches to learn more about our monthly consulting packages and to sign up for yours today!
Remember — the constant drone of advertising noise puts many consumers to sleep. In this FREE “Wake Up Your Brand” white paper, I’ll spill the beans on some of my favorite tips for breaking through the noise to invigorate your brand!
Download @ http://www.slideshare.net/MichaelDesroches1/wake-up-your-brand
