Episode C.009 Brand Personality

Branding Hurdles
Over the last 2 shows we covered the questions for building a great brand. Today we complete the conversation with items to consider. Look at the following lists as a check to ensure the message is complete. You have written a company umbrella brand, a specific feature/benefit product & service brand(s), and  owner brand.

Review the following dimensions to make sure you pickup those elements that are critical to your strategy of attracting the right relationships.

General Company Brand Dimensions
Unlike the other lists, you cannot cover all five of these attributes. Most companies focus on 1 or 2 that best describe the nature of their offer. An example is the IBGR Network, our first attribute that must permeate all of our marketing collateral is Competence, the second and last attribute for the Network is Sincerity. Which 1 or 2 should be part of your brand?

• Sincerity: Down to Earth, Honest, Wholesome, Cheerful.
• Excitement: Daring, Spirited, Imaginative, Up-to-Date.
• Competence: Reliable, Intelligent, Successful.
• Sophistication: Upper Class, Charming.
• Ruggedness: Outdoorsy, Tough.

General Customer Brand Dimensions
When writing or speaking to customers understand these dimensions influence buying decisions. This is especially true if your unique selling proposition is customer intimate. Make sure your marketing collateral addresses these 4 areas.

• Reliability: How well the company delivers on promise?
• Responsiveness: How well the company responds when it fails to deliver on promise; it's recovery process?
• Competence: Do the customer-contact personnel have the ability and authority to fix problems on the spot?
• Empathy: Do the customer-contact personnel demonstrate empathy when dealing with customer issues; customer feels the company values their business?

General Employee Brand Dimensions
This is the same as Customer Dimensions. You want the company's branding to attract future employees. These 3 dimensions are what people are looking for today in an employer.

• Positive: Does the company make a positive impact in the market and in the community, does it positions itself as a market leader?
• Compelling: Does the company's external and internal (vision, mission, values) brand inspire excellence throughout the organization?
• Contribute: Does the company solicit and value my contribution?

General Supplier Brand Dimensions
Believe it or not good suppliers care who represents their brand. You want and need the brand association of working with the best, the following is what they look for when partnering with a company representing them.

• Image: Do they demonstrate an attitude of quality?
• Brand Association: Does working with this company help or hurt our brand image?
• Offer Match: Does their offer match or is it a mismatch with our core values and business model?

General Investor Brand Dimensions
Don't neglect this one! At some point you need bankers, leading institutions, credit organizations, angel investors and venture capital interested in your company. There is nothing wrong with adding these 3 dimensions to your About Us page and materials produced specifically for them.

• Coherent: Does the brand make sense and is it consistently delivered?
• Core Values: Does the brand reflect the company's core values?
• Difficult to Imitate: Does the brand provide a distinct and unique presence that reflects it's business model?