Brand building beyond communications
Breath life into your brand through strategic value placement
Creating a well-defined brand is critical for the success of any business. However, achieving a clear brand definition is not always an easy task, even for talented professionals. While effective communication is important for building initial connections with potential customers, personal experience is what truly shapes their perception and image of the brand. To help this particular consulting firm build a more effective brand, a comprehensive approach was needed. Through a series of workshops and analyses, the team was able to identify their core values, align them with their customer journey, and create a unique brand equity that sets them apart from competitors. In this case study, we explore the step-by-step process that was used to help this firm achieve its brand goals.
A team of talented engineers and project managers at an IT security consulting firm came to a critical realization — their brand lacked definition. They understood that a well-defined brand could help them increase their customer base and foster loyalty among existing ones. So, like the diligent professionals they are, they immersed themselves in branding literature, hoping to find the perfect core concept and values of their brand. However, despite their best efforts, they were surprised to find that this did not bring their brand to life. That’s when they turned to me for help. While they initially thought a communications campaign would do the trick, after our first conversation, it became clear that they needed something entirely different.
If a business’s success hinges on the skills of its team and the relationships it builds with its partners, then it’s in those relationships that the brand is born. Although effective communication is vital to establish initial connections with potential customers, it’s the personal experience that shapes their perception and image of the brand more than anything else. That’s why my first suggestion was to concentrate on how their brand could be constructed through their interactions with clients before creating brand communications.
The first thing I asked the team to do was to share their brand values. During the initial workshop, they presented their interpretation of each value, how it should manifest in their customer’s experience, and what internal actions were necessary to bring it to life. From there, we analyzed how each value related to one another. This process allowed us to identify and eliminate any redundant values while also establishing a clear hierarchy of values.
In our next workshop, we worked together to outline a typical client lifecycle, from when they first heard of the company to discuss the next opportunity after successful project completion. We then delved into each stage of the customer journey, examining the interactions and identifying the key stakeholders at play. Based on that information, we identified the brand values that have the potential to manifest themselves there in a meaningful way.
We then conducted a thorough exploration of the brand equity map to determine how it fares against competitors. We began by scrutinizing the portfolios of rival brands and evaluating their product and service offerings, pricing strategies, communication tactics, and sales practices. We then assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the firm in comparison to each competitor, creating a balance of power. Moving on to the next stage, we examined each brand value individually to ascertain the impact of adding or dropping a particular value on the competitive landscape. This exercise helped us to gain a better understanding of the meaning and significance of each brand value.
Armed with a thorough understanding of how each brand value is formed and what role they play, we delved deeper into the wider system and context of the brand values. Our focus then turned to explore the relevant factors at the company, project, and individual levels — everything that plays a role in creating and being impacted by brand values. Through a comprehensive analysis of these factors, we evaluated their impact on the success of the business and identified three critical elements that, if developed meaningfully, can drive significant growth for the brand.
The first factor is the offer document, which serves as a key touchpoint for customers and plays a critical role in shaping their initial perception of the brand. The second factor is personal contact with customers, which creates a unique opportunity to build a personal connection with customers and reinforce the brand’s core values. Finally, the motivation and performance evaluation system of colleagues emerged as a crucial factor in creating a positive work culture that fosters the development of brand values.
These elements not only serve as a catalyst for the brand’s development but also provide a valuable framework for shaping other factors in the future. With this knowledge in hand, we were confident in our ability to help the brand reach new heights, solidifying its position as a key player in the industry.
As part of our comprehensive audit of the offer document, we conducted a detailed analysis of the personal relationships and expectations of the individual stakeholders involved in procurement, taking note of any points of frustration. Using this information, we defined personas and created a stakeholder map, revealing the level of influence each stakeholder has on the procurement process. This approach helped us to identify the key sections of the offer document template that would be critical to the decision-making process and determine if any sections were missing that could facilitate a positive outcome. Drawing on our experience with customer journey mapping, we then identified which brand values would be most relevant at each key section of the document and how they could be effectively integrated. Through this process, we were able to transform the offer document from a functional tool, making it more user-friendly but also a powerful tool for brand building increasing the chances of winning.
To round out our comprehensive analysis, we turned our attention to the motivational and performance evaluation system, recognizing that personal connections with clients were an essential component of this system. We began by conducting an in-depth interview with the HR manager to gain insight into the company’s current practices regarding motivation and performance evaluation. Drawing on our expertise and knowledge of industry best practices, we then developed a matrix that aligned the company’s job roles with its brand values. By identifying which colleagues in which roles could represent specific brand values during their work, we were able to develop a customized motivation and performance evaluation system for each position. This not only helped to boost employee performance but also ensured that every employee was accountable for representing and building the brand values in their daily work.
In conclusion, creating a well-defined brand requires more than just a communication campaign. It requires a deep understanding of how the brand is formed through interactions with clients and stakeholders, as well as an analysis of the wider system and context in which it operates. By following the process outlined in this case study, businesses can identify and prioritize their core values, align them with their customer journey, and create a unique brand equity that sets them apart from competitors.
