When I work with companies on Employee Engagement strategies, I am amazed at how many companies cannot articulate what their brand stands for - other than standard lines that cover
- Desire for quality
- Our people are our greatest asset
- Exceeding customer expectations
- Partnering with our customers
etc etc......maybe the more we talk about brands as promises, the more it encourages people to dilute the promise....under promise, over deliver!
The companies that think like that, are missing a huge trick - the brand promise allows you to differentiate yourself, show your personality, clearly explain how your company is different. Too many companies have not changed decades from the 1980's....quality, customer service, delivering results...all are expected now in the 21st Century, they are the baseline not a promise of value.
I think it helps if companies describe the how, rather than the what. How you approach customer service, or quality, or partnering...will be your differentiating factor and can be the core of your brand promise.
Stretch the promise and I promise, you will stretch the profits for the future.
