As Herb Brooks so eloquently touted to the 1980 US Olympic ice hockey team, “The name on the front of your jersey means a hell of a lot more than the name on the back.” Essentially, he was telling his young team of egocentric athletes that to achieve the “Miracle on Ice,” each player needed to value the goals of the team over those of his own.
Winning the gold branded the USA team as the best in the world, and it all began with the common aspiration of the players.
Such is the same when building brand equity (commercial value from consumer perception of a brand name) for your company. For an organization to be successful, every member of “the team” must regard the reputation and promotion of the company brand as paramount. Your employees are your customers… and should be your biggest fans.
Here are four strategies you can use to develop brand equity from within:
- Visibility… Establish brand guidelines, architecture and a governance system that is clearly defined, accessible and promoted.
- One Team Mindset… Share best branding practice examples within the organization and recognize/reward individual or team efforts to strengthen or advance brand reputation.
- Repetition… Engage your employees early and often. Consult with them on strategic planning and monitor progress against branding goals.
- Partnership… Don’t play brand police; reinforce brand compliance through support, engagement and collaboration. Talk the talk and walk the walk!
Author: Susan Lenkaitis