What does good look like?
You don’t know what you don’t know, but luckily we do. Three top tips for running a good brand process.
You need to know what good looks like to achieve it. If you don’t know, really know, what a good brand is then it is difficult to shoot for the stars, manage the expectations of your Board, secure the right budgets, appoint the right partners and maximise the power of your brand to drive your business forward.
A genuinely good brand is genuinely good for everyone. A good brand helps you deliver your commercial strategy, attracts and retains the people you want to work with, creates clear water between you and your competitors – makes people choose you.
1. Start with strategy
Your business and your brand strategy need to be aligned. You should measure the success of your brand on how well it helps your business achieve its goals (not the number of creative awards you win – though they’re not mutually exclusive!)
2. Engage stakeholders
From the offset have a plan on how to bring people along with you. When stakeholders have bought into the value of brand, your plan and proposal, not only will they be less likely to de-rail them, they’ll be ready and willing to take a leap of faith.
3. Make time to find the right expert
Skillset and capacity are key, but so are budget and less tangible things like appetite and ambition.
So don’t rely on zoom meetings, desk research and proposals. Go into the agencies, spend time getting to know them as people. Chemistry is critical.
Look them in the eye and don’t be afraid to ask searching questions. You want to surround yourself with people you trust to know what good looks like and won’t stop til they’ve achieved it.
“We needed an industry-insider. A branding expert who would get under the skin of our organisation and really understand what we needed. Someone without an agenda, who the Board would trust and listen to, and could help us navigate the branding process, bringing in the right talent at the right time.” Commercial Director, Premier League
How Uppingham School used brand to accelerate change.
New commercial strategy means new brand, right?
How do you find the right creative partner?
Strategy
Sharpen your proposition using intelligence, insight and intuition.
Research & insights
Positioning, purpose & values
Architecture & naming
Messaging
Stakeholder engagement
Engagement
Empower and inspire by making the brand meaningful to those that matter most.
Strategic planning
Workshops
Launch events
Staff communications
Training/coaching
Direction
Keep strategy front and centre so your brand is always relevant and distinctive.
Brand reviews
Agency workshops
Pitch management
Implementation planning
Strategic consultancy