Branding is Inside-Out

About a month ago I was at an industry tradeshow and I overheard part of a conversation that caught my attention; a Marketing Director from “Company A” was talking to a VP of Sales from “Company B” (according to their badges) and the comment that struck me went like this:

“Yeah, we’re all ready to go. We have our new corporate literature here and the web page looks good. The new ad campaign started this month as well. So we’re on schedule. Next week I’m gonna sit down with our CSRs to tell them what we’ve done, and then we’re calling in all of our sales guys in 3 weeks to walk them through the new brand too.”

What?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? You must be kidding me. Microsites and print ads and slick looking literature are all fine tactics to do — but there must be a reason or a purpose behind it all. As well as a proper order to it all. How can you possibly spend weeks planning for “The Brand-New Brand,” then execute and publicly release all the marketing materials, and then decide to get together with your own “front-liners” to tell them what you’ve done?

Your Brand is what people believe about your company and what it stands for, and outlines a promise that defines what your customers can expect from your business, your products or your service. It represents value. Before you can start selling The Brand to the market, you must ensure that your internal organization understands the promise your Brand plans to deliver and the message that will be communicated, and that everyone fully supports it. Your people need to be involved with the Uncovering of The Brand from day 1, and then be exposed to the process during its progress. Encourage input and engage thought, and then confirm that each person knows their role in this effort — and they believe it. This is critical since your entire company will deliver on the message of the Brand.

You may say, “But I can’t lead or manage this entire internal process myself,” and I agree; that’s exactly right. You need to find a Doer (or a team of Doers) within your company that believe in the mission and will help you share information, gather feedback, reinforce the message, and execute the branding program internally. Doers who understand the purpose behind the rebranding or repositioning, and are also willing to work on making it all succeed in addition to, not in place of, their normal daily responsibilities. Meet with your Branding Doers on a regular basis — even for 5 minute briefings — so that you stay on top of “internal buzz” whether it be positive energy or conflicting assumptions, address questions or add to the excitement as it pops up, and that way you ensure the new brand message or product positioning is correctly and consistently understood throughout your organization.

From top management to customer service, from outside sales reps to your project engineers, from your dealer network to your receptionist, all of these people have an impact on your Brand and you really never know which one will be faced with the opportunity to leave that first impression with a customer — current or potential. Secure “it” on the inside before taking “it” outside. Because once “it” is launched and out there, It Is.