Your Brand as a Person

There are many techniques that can be used when creating brands or reviewing the effectiveness of existing brands. One useful method is brand personification, the process of giving a brand the attributes of a person to help determine how they look and act.

Imagine your brand as a person. How do they dress? How do they speak? What is important to them? Then ask yourself; do I want this person working for my business?

How does your brand dress?

Image is important, especially when making a first impression. Potential customers might come across your business for the first time through any of the ways you promote yourself – your website, social media, advertising, print materials. This is why it’s important to get your image right and to apply it consistently. You don’t wear a suit to work and then go to a work function in a t-shirt and jeans. So make sure that every time you present your brand it is professional and consistent.

Have you got the right image?

You don’t expect your bank manager to meet you wearing overalls, and if they did you would have doubts about their professionalism and competence. That said, if you took your car to a mechanic and they greeted you wearing a suit you might wonder exactly how good they are under the bonnet of your car. What is suitable for one business might not be suitable for another and it’s important to look appropriate for the nature of your business.

Regardless of how you style your business it’s important to look professional. If you wear a cheap polyester suit and a crumpled shirt to meet a prospect you are going to have to work a lot harder to make the sale than if you had invested in a quality suit and an iron. Presenting your business in a considered and professional manner will pay off with more opportunities and more sales.

How does your brand speak?

Remember what you say, and how you say it are both important.

It’s not going to help you make a sale if you use industry jargon that your customers don’t understand, or if you talk at length about details your customers aren’t interested in. And while some companies suit a casual approach to their writing style for others it might come across as unprofessional.

Once you know how you want your business to be perceived it should be easy to decide a writing style that will give the right voice to your business.

What is important to your brand?

Like a person, the values that your brand has should determine the way your business behaves. If sustainability is important to your business then running a fleet of gas guzzling cars doesn’t fit with the values it holds. The way your business behaves demonstrates your values and long-term is a significant factor in keeping customers loyal.

Brand relationship

Our customers build relationships with brands, so it’s important to deliver a brand that is professional and consistent in all aspects of its communication. If your brand engages and connects with the right people you’ll have the opportunity to build trust in your brand and benefit from a strong ongoing relationship with loyal customers.

Posted 5 November 2015