A dear john letter to my (former) favorite brand
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
I’ve been a loyal Mercedes Benz driver for nearly 20 years and four different E Class sedans. The last one let me down so hard I won’t go back. The reason: they cut corners and it broke my heart.
Here’s a warning to brands everywhere about the dangers of subbing cheaper materials and snubbing your loyal fans.
Culture lessons from a turkey wrangler
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
My mother grew up in West Virginia. Like many families at that time, hers had a sizable garden and some chickens and turkeys. Typically, my grandmother tended the garden and kept all the myriad household projects neatly organized and running smoothly. (Martha Stewart would be proud.)
Banish the skeletons in your brand closet
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Branders often overlook or ignore things that can have a big impact on the impressions they make on their customers. Case in point: the coat closet.
Some organizations inadvertantly leave others with a bad taste in their mouths over their closets—or lack thereof. Here's why:
Do you have a credo? How having a heart matters.
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
While many organizations say they have heart, rare are those who have created a culture that truly inspires passion. The word ‘credo’ (I believe) comes from ‘cor do’ (I give my heart).
Do employees, customers and community give their heart to your brand? Here are some things to seriously consider:
Is your brand as appreciated as an extra button?
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Why should you be an “extra button” brand? The extra button brand is the one who gets a customer by when he’s in a pinch. It's the brand that helps a customer save face. It's the brand that has your back.
Deliver that kind of service, and you’re the life saver that builds unquestionable loyalty.
There's no excuse for "nobody told me."
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
I recently heard someone in the c-suite of a company say that a key business development strategy hadn’t been launched because nobody told him to do it. I was shocked.
Why is he waiting—and by whom—to be told? Is this laziness or a symptom of something else?
Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth: an 11 point audit for your internal brand
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Keeping your brand aligned means paying attention to the messaging and stories you tell inside your organization, not just what you say in public.
Why? Because without an intentional internal brand, your public-facing messages will never be truly authentic.
10 things that are often overlooked during a brand audit
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Keeping your brand aligned means regularly auditing everything that tells your story. When you evaluate advertising and PR messages, you should never overlook the many other things that speak loud and clear.
Here’s a starting checklist of additional things to monitor for your public-facing brand:
Foosball tables are no substitute for culture
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
Watch any company’s recruitment video these days and you’re likely to see a foosball table, an espresso bar and a workout room. You may be wondering if you need those to attract great employees, too.
While games and fancy coffee are nice “extras,” they’re not the foundation of your culture. There are better ways to cultivate a winning internal brand.
Don't let dirty laundry soil your brand
- Written by: Martha Bartlett Piland
You may think that because your website is updated and your new video takes your customers’ breath away that your brand refresh is spotless.
Employee behavior contrary to your brand promise will soil your brand overnight.
