24 Jan Brand resilience
How can you build a resilient brand? In tough times, your brand is severely tested. Withstanding the pressure of possible failure could lead to making expedient calls which can damage your brand and reputation. Here are 5 steps to improve the resilience of your brand.
- Brand promise = brand experience. A resilient brand does what it says it will do. Never make a promise unless you can deliver handsomely on it. And don’t be shy to make a promise – just make sure that your people and processes deliver consistently to that promise.
- Talk and listen to your customers. If you are experiencing challenging timers, the chances are that your customers are feeling the same. Listen to them and find out whether what you are promising is still helping them.
- Protect your values. You have two values to manage – your company values and your brand values. Short term decisions may be important but will impact on the way that customers see you. Weigh every decision – even pressing financial decisions – against company and brand values.
- Manage your associations. Whether it’s a supplier or customer, they are actually part of your brand. If you were not faced with a financial call, would you accept that supplier or customer into your brand? Understand the potential impact on your brand reputation and if you make the call, manage it tightly.
- Talk to your employees. Apart from your employees being the people who actually deliver your brand promise – whether they’re in IT, production, sales or finance – talking to your employees (and listening intently) will help you to be on top of the everyday nuances in your business which impact on your brand’s resilience when aggregated. Make sure that employees are aligned to your aim. This is what I need you to do. This is why it is so important. How can we help you to do it? How do you think we should do it? Pull your employees into your brand, creating a true employee brand
Developing a resilient brand does not happen overnight. It takes patience and determination interspersed with timeous, well-considered and decisive calls!
Gary Hendrickse
CEO Sherpa Brand & Design
gary@sherpa.co.za
Sherpa.co.za
