Brand is a loaded word. When we think of a brand, the first thing that comes to mind is the simple stuff: the logo, colours, and names.
Founders who’ve worked hard to build their service often struggle to articulate their brand beyond those elements, even though the value they bring to the market is substantial.
They know existing clients “get it”; however, the hope is that prospective clients will also “get it”.
The Result?
- Marketing that looks sharp but oversells and underwhelms
- Sales teams that struggle to articulate unique value succinctly
- Day-to-day functions that don’t support the vision
This is the hidden brand crisis that’s costing opportunities.
You Don’t Own Your Brand
Your brand lives in the mind of your client.
The critical distinction with effective positioning is that it’s not about what you control, but rather it’s about how you influence. That’s where authentic branding comes in. Branding is the strategic, ongoing discipline of shaping perception across every touchpoint: from your pricing and proposals to your delivery and response to calls and emails.
Critical touch-points managed in isolation diminish your influence. Businesses that fail to recognise this are not building a brand and, in the end, will instead have more value in their plant and equipment.
3 Blind Spots That Kill Brands
The Aesthetic Trap
“Let’s update the logo and website. Then we’ll be taken more seriously.”
Visual branding is an expression of strategy, never a replacement for it. It’s very powerful when wielded correctly to shape perception, set or reset expectations, raise the bar and attract the best talent. Although it’s superficial, the correct visual branding will accelerate a value proposition if the strategy fuelling it has the right ingredients.
Founder Dependency
“I’m the brand. People buy from me.”
Until you’re not in the room. When brands are reliant on founders, growth becomes fragile. You can have an effective founder-led brand; however, what has made them successful needs to be a transferable asset, from their head into the broader operations of the business.
The Silo Effect
“Branding? That’s marketing’s responsibility.”
Not every team member can be actively involved in managing the brand, and it would be unfair to expect that. As a leader, you need to implement specific operational procedures and actions for each role that will form the habits that will create the desired perception.
Branding Is A Business Discipline
An influential brand isn’t just a surface-level asset; it’s a valuable tool for informed decision-making.
If you implement effectively, your brand will:
- Filter who you say no to
- Align teams
- Shorten your sales cycle
- Attract top talent
- Command premium pricing
The Definition of Brand That Will Shift Your Focus
A brand is in your client’s mind.
Branding is the actions you take to manipulate that view.
How Do You Start To Build A Brand With Influence?
Get clear by first asking:
- What does the market currently believe about us?
- What do we want them to believe instead?
- What actions will change that belief?
Then get razor sharp with your strategy, for example, instead of saying:
“We want to hit $5m in revenue this year.”
Reframe it to:
“To hit $5m, we need to shift the market’s perception from seeing us as X to seeing us as Y. That means doing A, saying B, and proving C, consistently.”
© Hamish Chadwick™