Everywhere you go, people are revved up about exercising and eating right. And you can’t avoid hearing about the latest cleanse. (TMI). It’s possible that your brand needs all that extra attention, too.
Just how far should you go?
know your BMI
Body Mass Index is a standardized way to assess whether a person is over or under weight. So how about a Brand Mass Index?
A brand audit can help you determine whether you’re too bulked up with things that drag your brand down or whether you’re too light to make waves in the marketplace. The audit should consider more than just consistency for logo, colors and graphics. Evaluate:
- external marketing and advertising messaging
- sales presentations
- internal communications
- recruiting conversations
- employee uniforms or dress code
- physical environment (both public and private)
- mission, vision and purpose
If all those elements align—telling the same story and supporting the brand promise—you’re at optimal BMI. If not, you need to either streamline or build some more muscle.
You know this: fads and magic pills don't work on your brand, either.
out with the old
What did you learn from your audit? Just like a cleanse that flushes out toxins from the body, you need to eliminate the things that don’t serve your brand.
It may be temporarily unpleasant. But the sooner you get it over with, the sooner you’re on the road to a healthier brand. Get rid of:
- outdated business cards you were using up to save money
- the website images that no longer support your positioning
- employment ads that don’t communicate your purpose
- the mission statement that’s meaningless and no one can remember
- hastily produced cut-and-paste proposals and presentation materials
- managers who refuse to share the company vision with their departments
You may be able to fake a juice cleanse with your friends, but customers and employees will know when you're faking anything with your brand.
Don't let your brand become stagnant and flabby. Do the hard work of examining, cleansing and training so you're performing like a champion.
If you need help with a detox for your brand, call Martha Bartlett Piland at 785.969.6203
Tags: business strategy, brand development, internal brand, marketing strategy, brand management, brand alignment
