(Photo above | Cascade Business News)
Your brand is your reputation. It’s what you are thought of and how you are remembered. It’s the thing that sets you apart and makes you unique, special and memorable. What you say about yourself is advertising; how you behave at every point of contact with key stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, etc.) is your brand.
Growing up in Western Montana, on a ranch, we used symbols of our family brand to clearly identify our livestock. When going to market, it was the reputation of the rancher (brand) that played a big role in the pricing of cattle. Like the ranching business, your brand identity will sometimes include a symbol or logo.
Adding a short statement that summarizes who you are, what you believe or something inspirational, is your tagline. It’s all part of the brand identity, along with colors, typography, icons and artwork. But this is not your brand. It’s how you behave on a consistent basis that determines the reputation of your brand.
Probably the most recent focus in the branding world today is on the brand experience and the significant role it plays in the success of an organization. It’s no longer enough to offer a good product or service at a fair price. What sets great brands apart is the level of engagement that the customer has with their brand at every point of contact through the entire experience. When customers share their experience with their friends, they become brand ambassadors and
loyal customers.
As important to the success of your brand, is how the organization reacts when something goes wrong (which in every business, happens). Great brands quickly own the situation (instead of making excuses), and they over-deliver in the way that they provide solutions to the problem.
The recent Chipotle E. coli mess could have taken the company down. However, they reacted in a cooperative, concerned and transparent way and while their sales plummeted, they also invested in safety measures and training that should pay off in the long run. Brand turn-arounds are always messy, and they take time. However, if done well, they can instill a new level of confidence and loyalty that will be long-lasting. Until the next disaster.
People today have many choices and little time, so they select with their feelings (attraction), their minds (rationalization) and their hearts (values). They choose brands that reflect who they are and what they value. So, before you invest in marketing and advertising, focus on building a strong brand that reflects your core values and offers a unique, memorable and consistent experience at every point of contact with your customer. Your brand is your reputation.
Brand Storytelling
At Zolo Media, our focus is on being storytellers of all that matters to Central Oregonians. This means that it’s our privilege to cover the amazing stories, through the original content that we produce, the local events that we cover and the commercial work we do for our advertisers. We are creating a new show that will tell the stories that Central Oregonians want to hear. So, if you have an idea, please go to www.yourCOstory.com, and tell us what you would like to have us cover.
Michele O’Hara is the marketing and creative services manager for Zolo Media, including KOHD/ABC, KBNZ/CBS, COTV, CO4 and 30 cable brands, www.Zolomedia.com
