We all do brand(ing).

The collective experiences we provide define our brands.
Are you experienced at every step?

There is an emerging mindset that keeps popping up in articles like Fast Company’s “Branding is dead, CX design is king.” The general notion is that brand has outgrown the branding team. Truth be told, brand has always been broader than the logos and color palettes that represent our organizations. We all play a role in supporting our brands.

Think about it. Brand is essentially a promise we make. A reflection of how we hope to be perceived that starts with how we position what we do and gets reaffirmed through how we do it–from the experience others have with our product or service to how we respond when they reach out. Brand is our promise and branding is our follow-through.

Our brand touchpoints are limitless.

The places where others encounter our brands keep growing and charting that customer experience is critically important. How we sound on the phone has expanded to how we sound on social media and even to how we sound when a chatbot is speaking on our behalf. How our digital offerings behave when we’re not around is as important as how we behave in-person. We must be consistent in all interactions and when we’re part of a larger organization that consistency must come from every corner. 

A brand promise provides direction.

A well-articulated and broadly communicated brand promise can set the course for us and our organizations. As Gallup lays out in “Focus on Your Brand Promise to Improve Customer Experience,” establishing an effective brand promise starts with a firm understanding of brand purpose, value proposition and values. Moving beyond brand promise, additional insight such as marketing strategy, digital strategy and content strategy work to ensure that our follow-through is on target. However, all strategies should ladder up to a shared brand promise.

Experiences define our brands.

The tangible and intangible experiences others have when they encounter us, our products and services define our brands. A seamless digital experience creates the same positive impression as a friendly conversation. While a web page that won’t load is just as frustrating as a long line and an email that doesn’t look quite right is just as suspicious as actual SPAM. When we miss a step others notice. 

Are you considering your brand at every step? The collective experiences that define our brands don’t come from one department or discipline. 

We all do brand(ing).