Defining valuable brand values
If you are currently considering revamping your brand values, there may have been much internal debate about the values you should pick. One school of thought says you should choose values that reflect who you are, delivering a base from which you can build. Others say this delivers too generic a base and there is a need to choose values that stretch you. Since your brand values are the mindset within which you compete, it follows that you should choose values that differentiate you sufficiently without being irrelevant.
What to avoid
Unfortunately, many organisations choose brand values that are little better than hygiene factors, demonstrating their view of how they should be seen rather than the qualities that demonstrate their distinctive brand and confident culture. Outlining a unique set of values shows that the leadership of a business has made a deliberate effort to not only drive a point of difference that is meaningful but also that it is confident in its ability to defend these values. Marketing Magazine explains why choosing unique values is so important.
If you stick to simply selecting values you like, it becomes far too easy to choose those you feel comfortable with or are expected of you rather than taking your brand to new places, which has to be the point of your brand renovation.
What to consider:
– Choose a small set of values that demonstrate a large departure from your competitors’ activity and the typical consumer industry expectations.
– Ensure these values sufficiently inspire your employees and your supplier community. This will ensure they behave in ways that back up your values and lift aspiration.
– Communicate your values in ways that push for action. Choose phrases or words that are suitably colourful and interesting.
– Workshop the values to establish their actual meaning for your business and how they impact your working methods and subsequent customer experience. Without this step, they are just words on a page. If you need help with this, consider the services of a company such as http://www.blondideasgroup.com.
In closing, you should also consider what you keep as much as what your change. The best businesses move and grow, acknowledging their strengths while minimising their weaknesses rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
