When I first tell a client that everything in their business needs to reflect their brand, I usually get a nonplussed reaction. I then tell them again, “really, I mean everything”. This sinks in and the reaction is one of skepticism. What about intangibles like how you answer the phone or how your delivery people drive the car. Or obscure questions like “what color do we paint the conference room?” Or “do we have a uniform signature line for our email messages?” Yes, yes, yes and yes. These all impact the effectiveness of your brand!
Imagine an awkward kid in the nineteen forties who can’t get a date. Create the idea of a world where he’s surrounded by beautiful women, throws lavish parties (as part of his business) and is the envy of every single man on the planet. When Hugh Heffner did this in the 50’s, he didn’t just envision the layout of his magazine and how he would create distribution channels. He didn’t just formulate a sales & marketing strategy or conceptualize the kind of content he would publish. He created an entirely new empire based on, what he perceived to be, an ideal world. EVERYTHING was created first in his mind … down to the last detail.
Understanding your own brand is step one. Step two is permeating it into every nook and cranny of your business.
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