The Seven Don’ts of Branding
1. We are fine – and we don't need branding.
Many aspects of your brand allow people to recognise and remember you! One of the most critical factors is your logo, which should translate what you do through recognisable symbols that ultimately encapsulate your vision. A logo is a necessity for any company and it’s the proud sign of the products or services that you are now presenting to the world! Do not over-think it - less is more. And remember, most of the great firms in the world have constantly adapted their look and feel along with the changes in times.
2. Don’t chase the wrong branding tactics.
Your branding is the face and heart of your organisation. Why should a client or prospective donor invest in your product/service if you do not invest in it yourself? Have a brand strategy that guides the verbal and visual elements of your organisation. Thereby each time contact is made with your brand, a positive impression is created. Your organisation only has one chance to make a first impression – make it count.
3. Don’t over promise and under deliver.
Word-of-mouth is still the most formidable form of communication! The best advice is to treat the small guy with the same respect as you would treat the big client or investor. The small guy may have many friends that listen and may even grow into one of the big guys. It is not what is being said about your brand that matters, but what is being whispered. Every client or partner is a potential sales representative of your organisation and if they are singing your praises, others will come looking for you. Set realistic goals, but always go the extra mile.
4. Don’t have the mind-set that marketing or branding is an expense.
Shape a culture within your organisation that marketing is an investment, not an expense. It is up to you to ensure that you use a reliable communications agency to help you reap the returns for that investment. People need to know what you are offering, while you need to let them know in an intriguing and creative manner. Always target your communication toward a specific target market, through specific platforms to minimise advertising wastage. Remember to track your R.O.I.
5. Don’t do it, if it will hurt your brand.
A solid quality management system must always be in place to ensure everyone involved in a task strives to deliver the best quality product or service. Every task or client interaction needs to be treated as an investment and looked after accordingly. Naturally this is easier said than done, but make sure that you have a plan ready to make your offering, service or event work – otherwise don’t do it. Should you take a risk, which is not always a bad thing, have a contingency plan (including a disaster-management P.R. campaign) in place, in case things do turn out as expected.
6. Don’t be the same, because then you are not different!
It is imperative to always strive to be different. Specifically look at the things that you could add to your product or develop in your service to differentiate yourself from others (from a clever design or an inventive presentation box). Constantly look for new ways to reinvent your brand, within its guidelines. Keep your approaches fresh and up to date with our ever changing and competitive world. Be the red apple in the box of green ones.
7. Don’t neglect the importance of measuring your branding success.
Once you set out with a marketing campaign it is important to ensure that the strategy is actually working and adding value. Implementing a system that could indicate where the client heard from you (ongoing brand contact auditing) would give you a calculated idea to what is actually working and what is not suited to pursue for your organisation. This must be recorded and tracked. Eliminate what is not working.
Nurture your brand. As the old Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now”. You may not be currently investing in your brand, but your competitors may well be investing in theirs. Plant your brand seed. Water it. Fertilise it and watch it grow into a mammoth success.
Yours in branding,
LIFE brand
Many aspects of your brand allow people to recognise and remember you! One of the most critical factors is your logo, which should translate what you do through recognisable symbols that ultimately encapsulate your vision. A logo is a necessity for any company and it’s the proud sign of the products or services that you are now presenting to the world! Do not over-think it - less is more. And remember, most of the great firms in the world have constantly adapted their look and feel along with the changes in times.
2. Don’t chase the wrong branding tactics.
Your branding is the face and heart of your organisation. Why should a client or prospective donor invest in your product/service if you do not invest in it yourself? Have a brand strategy that guides the verbal and visual elements of your organisation. Thereby each time contact is made with your brand, a positive impression is created. Your organisation only has one chance to make a first impression – make it count.
3. Don’t over promise and under deliver.
Word-of-mouth is still the most formidable form of communication! The best advice is to treat the small guy with the same respect as you would treat the big client or investor. The small guy may have many friends that listen and may even grow into one of the big guys. It is not what is being said about your brand that matters, but what is being whispered. Every client or partner is a potential sales representative of your organisation and if they are singing your praises, others will come looking for you. Set realistic goals, but always go the extra mile.
4. Don’t have the mind-set that marketing or branding is an expense.
Shape a culture within your organisation that marketing is an investment, not an expense. It is up to you to ensure that you use a reliable communications agency to help you reap the returns for that investment. People need to know what you are offering, while you need to let them know in an intriguing and creative manner. Always target your communication toward a specific target market, through specific platforms to minimise advertising wastage. Remember to track your R.O.I.
5. Don’t do it, if it will hurt your brand.
A solid quality management system must always be in place to ensure everyone involved in a task strives to deliver the best quality product or service. Every task or client interaction needs to be treated as an investment and looked after accordingly. Naturally this is easier said than done, but make sure that you have a plan ready to make your offering, service or event work – otherwise don’t do it. Should you take a risk, which is not always a bad thing, have a contingency plan (including a disaster-management P.R. campaign) in place, in case things do turn out as expected.
6. Don’t be the same, because then you are not different!
It is imperative to always strive to be different. Specifically look at the things that you could add to your product or develop in your service to differentiate yourself from others (from a clever design or an inventive presentation box). Constantly look for new ways to reinvent your brand, within its guidelines. Keep your approaches fresh and up to date with our ever changing and competitive world. Be the red apple in the box of green ones.
7. Don’t neglect the importance of measuring your branding success.
Once you set out with a marketing campaign it is important to ensure that the strategy is actually working and adding value. Implementing a system that could indicate where the client heard from you (ongoing brand contact auditing) would give you a calculated idea to what is actually working and what is not suited to pursue for your organisation. This must be recorded and tracked. Eliminate what is not working.
Nurture your brand. As the old Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now”. You may not be currently investing in your brand, but your competitors may well be investing in theirs. Plant your brand seed. Water it. Fertilise it and watch it grow into a mammoth success.
Yours in branding,
LIFE brand
