Go deeper than marketing

A brand today is far more than a figurative store window. It’s a strategic driver of your business, and yet, in many organizations, branding is still seen as solely a marketing activity.

The recent anti-diversity manifesto story sent out by a Google employee just goes to show that your brand is so much more than just what’s communicated externally. Every employee, process, development, innovation, and value is also your brand. Your culture is your brand, just as much as your logo, colors and typography. Building a brand-driven business means going far beyond marketing, and making your brand story the basis of everything you do.

It’s no secret that brand-driven business are successful businesses. Just look at Lego, Nike, or Apple to name a few of the top dogs. In an age where consumer experience is everything, your brand is one of your most important assets.

What this means is that your brand story should not only drive the conversations you have with your audiences, but also the ones across your internal organization – whether it’s HR, training, product development, service design or innovation.

Searching for new employees? Ensure that your employer branding reflects your values and aspirations. Providing training for your sales department? Make your tone of voice clear. Driving new innovation processes? Look at your purpose in a forward-thinking way. Launching a product? Use the opportunity to tell your story to your social community and gather feedback. You get the picture.

Each encounter is an opportunity to influence perceptions. Having a clear and consistent brand story can help you get even closer to your audience by delivering a clear and consistent experience that is unique to you, and that differentiates you from the competition.

But don’t mistake letting your story lead the way with having an inside-out perspective; it’s actually about putting your customers first. By consistently delivering on their expectations of you and what you can deliver, you'll be able to provide a truly unique and engaging experience, building loyalty and paving the way for future growth.