Building your organisational brand

. 2 min read

By Arjun Sondhi - Managing Director BMC Global Services Digital Building an organisational brand is often not considered a priority by large organisations. They place all their time, effort and resources into building brands around their products but neglect the most important brand of all… their organisation. Why is a corporate brand important? A clear, unified organisational identity is essential in standing out from the competition and ensuring longevity in a constantly disrupted world. Building an organisational brand builds the foundations of your business and provides a clear direction and purpose for everyone within the company. It can also help companies recruit and retain employees, whilst providing protection against the company during tough times. Components of a strong organisational brand? Visual identity A visual identity is essential to an organisational brand’s expression. The image should be clearly identifiable and a strong representation of the core competencies of the business, as well as the values represented. The logo of a company is often the first point of contact made with a consumer and first impressions are important. This often followed by a visit to the company’s various digital assets such as website and social media accounts. It can be very easy to lose a customer during this period. You may have the best business in the world but if your visual identity isn’t strong, then it is irrelevant how good your product is. Values What does your brand stand for? What does your brand believe in? The values of your business are the most important aspect of building an organisational brand that connects with your target consumer. It is important to identify what you want your organisation to stand for and hire employees that are aligned with these values. Remember that your employees are the most important ambassadors for your business. If they do not represent your brand values then it will have a negative impact on the growth of your business. Purpose What is the purpose of your business? What is your business trying to achieve? Having a clear purpose is of the upmost importance for your business. Why? 1) Having a clear purpose ensures that all existing and new employees are clear in which direction the company is moving. 2) Avoids causing any confusion with the consumers. Having a clear purpose ensures that you build relationships with a specific audience, that are invested in helping your business achieve this purpose. Partnerships Choosing the right brand partners is key for any business. Being aligned with wrong partners can be catastrophic. It is important to source partners that have an equally strong organisational brand and whose values align with them of your business. Core competences What is your business great at? What do you want your customers to know you for? What are the key strengths of your business? These are the key questions to ask when building your organisational brand. The most successful organisations are very self aware about their strengths as an organisation and the value that they can offer their customers. These competences form the foundations in which to grow your brand values & identity. For instance an organisation that’s core competency is to help integrate apps should build a brand identity around this competency.