Branding Pearls of Wisdom
Chuck Lustig’s Exciting Writing Advisory, issue #24

Brands and pearls share a lot in common. They are created one lustrous layer at a time and can take years to form. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors and appeal to a wide variety of people for many reasons. And once they are formed, they are highly valued, fragile assets that need tender loving care.

Here are some branding best practices. These are prized pearls that I learned over many years of helping companies create and communicate effective corporate brand strategies.

1. Stretch! A brand strategy should be a stretch from your current position. You want your brand to help you achieve your vision, not just reflect where and what you are today. So, although all brand strategies have to be based in reality, don’t be afraid to reach for the stars.

2. The brand is in the details! Everyone thinks branding is mostly about logos, web sites and brochures, but branding is also about the details — office décor, culture, community citizenship and even how your employees answer the telephone. The smallest things contribute to a brand impression.

3. Branding flows downhill. Senior executives must be visible champions of branding activities for those activities to bear fruit. Upper management support and involvement is essential. There are no exceptions to this rule.

4. Employees are your best brand communicators. When they become “brand ambassadors,” your brand will thrive. Think of Southwest Airlines employees. No amount of advertising can build a strong brand as effectively as employees who sing your praises.

5. Don’t let the URL drive the company name decision. Choose a brand name because it fits your strategic intent, not because the URL is available. The best names are those that tout brand benefits – FedEx is a wonderful example of a name that doubles as a benefit; so is ExcitingWriting Communications.

6. Keep it short. Avoid acronyms. Short names are easier to remember. Strings of letters (initial acronyms like IBM, for example) usually put a second name in the marketplace for a company. Is the company name IBM, or is it International Business Machines? With lesser-known brands, acronyms can confuse an audience. If your company name is TRQ, SMX or BDT, people will always have a difficult time getting your name correct, and they will always be wondering what those initials stand for. Don’t make your audiences work that hard.

7. Graphic design must look the part. It must reflect the brand’s core attributes and market differentiation to be effective. This is especially important when developing a logo. Make sure your logo projects the chosen brand image so your target audiences form the right perceptions about your company.

8. Your branding must ring true. Branding is in the minds of the beholder. Their perceptions are real. If the brand concepts don’t ring true to your internal and external targeted audiences (see principle #4 about the employee audience), your efforts will fail. Don’t tout attributes like customer service or technology leadership, if your key audiences don’t believe it or if it’s not important to them. The most important thing:  listen to your targeted audiences and then act on what you heard.

If you keep these eight principles in mind, you will be on your way to creating one gem of a corporate brand.

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