Frequently Asked Questions
Brand 101
What is Brand?
At the risk of getting a little metaphysical, if we momentarily think of your business as a person, its brand becomes the idealized version of itself. It's the aspiration, the search for meaning in the marketplace. Just like any of us, your business seeks meaningful relationships and aims to establish a stellar reputation within its community. But above all, your brand thrives on its actions, not just its words.
In some respects, a brand is like the French concept of "Je ne sais quoi." It's that elusive quality that defies easy description but creates a powerful emotional connection.
Why is it important?
Brands serve as guiding beacons for consumers in a sea of choices. They provide reassurance about the quality of your product or service, fostering trust and identification. For potential customers, brands bridge the gap between familiarity and confidence, while for returning customers, they inspire loyalty and belief in your excellence.
Beyond simplifying the buying process, brands empower your employees to deliver consistently high-quality service. Over time, they help build a robust reputation, increase public awareness, and elevate the overall value of your company.
who Controls your Brand?
While it's true that every business, organization, and individual has a brand, which is essentially their reputation, you are the only one who can steer your brand in alignment with your vision. Notice that I use the term 'navigate' rather than 'control.' In the age of the internet and social media, complete control over your brand is elusive. The best you can strive for is skillfully navigating your brand through the dynamic marketplace.
One of the key tools for effectively managing your brand and staying competitive is active engagement. By creating an intentional brand and adeptly navigating it through market challenges, you can influence and shape how your business is perceived. Brand guidelines and filters serve as invaluable tools, helping your company uncover, convey, and creatively express its purpose while providing the means to influence and oversee its trajectory.
What is Branding?
Branding is a deliberate and strategic process—a journey. It's about crafting the entire experience people will have with your company. It means seizing every opportunity to convey who you are, what sets you apart, the value you bring, and why it matters. This journey involves meticulous research and clear articulation of your core values, translating them into tangible expressions, devising a long-term strategy and guidelines, and meticulously overseeing every daily interaction and touchpoint customers have with your company in all its diverse forms. This is where the profound work unfolds. This is branding! It prioritizes strategy over tactics, elevating your business to the status of a brand.
When Should you Rebrand?
Here are some compelling reasons that may prompt you to consider a rebrand:
Alignment with Goals:
When your business goals no longer align with your current brand.
Expansion and Change:
When introducing a new product or entering a new market.
When changing your name.
Consistency and Perception:
When your customers do not perceive consistency in your brand.
When you are no longer attracting the right customers or are attracting the wrong ones.
Competitive Position:
When your competitors are better positioned.
Strategic Growth:
When you've grown organically without a defined brand strategy.
When you've become irrelevant or seen as out of touch.
Leadership and Direction:
When there is a significant change in leadership and strategic direction.
When you establish a new strategic partnership.
Business Transformations:
When introducing a new business plan, raising capital, or positioning for a sale, merger, or acquisition.
When relocating, building a new facility, or introducing a new fleet, signage program, etc.
Internal Culture and Morale:
When you need to cultivate a renewed sense of purpose and culture internally, boosting staff morale, and attracting talent aligned with your brand's mission.
Perception and Reputation:
When you're hesitant to share your business card or direct people to your website due to a misaligned or outdated brand.
What does it cost?
Great question, and not to be vague, but it's a little like buying a car. The variables such as make and model, power windows, stereo system, etc. make a fixed sticker price impractical. Our process and creative product is customized to the needs of your business, and the size and type of clients vary, but most would expect to invest $5,000-$50,000 on strategy and brand identity development. Clients with multiple sites or a lot of physical implementations (signs, fleets, print collateral, etc.) could invest much more simply in execution costs, so it’s extremely important to outline needs ahead of time.
Where Do I Start?
When embarking on your branding journey, it's essential to start at the right place. Here are some tailored options to kickstart your branding efforts:
Business Model Review: For many business owners, a thorough Business Model review is the perfect starting point. Our discovery process and framework provide a solid foundation and clear direction, offering you a well-developed outline for your future business strategy.
Brand Audit: If you're contemplating the idea of rebranding but aren't sure about the timing or necessity, our Brand Audit is an excellent choice. It's designed to help you gain insights into your brand's current state.
Half-Day Workshop: Schedule an interactive Half-Day Workshop to receive hands-on critique and valuable insights into your current business model, branding, and communications. It's a relaxed, low-key setting for exploring improvements.
Ready to Rebrand: If you've made the decision to rebrand and are eager to get started, don't hesitate to reach out to us. You can call us at 414-378-2747 or schedule a consultation to discuss your unique needs.
No matter where you are in your branding journey, we're here to assist you every step of the way.