How can you use your company culture to differentiate your brand?

Company culture is “how your people feel about Monday morning on a Sunday night”. It isn’t about covering up the cracks with bean bags, free coffee and work pods. It’s about how people feel treated, listened to, respected, challenged, rewarded and fulfilled.

Core values are fundamental principles shaping an organisation's identity and culture. They guide decisions, foster unity among employees, and build trust with customers. Acting as a moral compass, core values define ethical and operational standards crucial for long-term success and sustainability.

Here are my three top tips : 1. Embed founder's identity: Highlight the personal brand and values of the founders as a cornerstone. Their unique perspectives and ethos should visibly permeate the company's culture and branding, making it more relatable and genuine. 2. Translate values into experiences: Transform core values from abstract concepts into tangible experiences. Every interaction, product, or service should embody these values, creating a consistent and immersive brand experience for the customer. 3. Evolve beyond buzzwords: Ensure values are more than catchy phrases. They should actively shape business strategies, decision-making processes, and customer engagement, thus becoming living elements of the brand's identity.

Most businesses have a set of values - but how many of these are actually embedded into the day-to-day practices of the organisation, and how many are just buzzwords that look good on marketing materials? Take a step back and identify if your current values make sense for your business in 2024, and that everyone in your organisation knows what they are and what they mean. This is a huge insight into if you need to rethink them into a set of principles you and your team truly stand for.

Your company culture is a reflection of your core values, the principles that guide every aspect of your business operations. To differentiate your brand, you must first identify and clearly articulate these values. They serve as the foundation for decision-making, behavior, and the overall workplace environment. When these values resonate with customers and employees, they create a powerful brand differentiator, setting you apart in the marketplace as an entity that doesn't just sell products or services but stands for something more significant.

Co-creation is a dynamic approach that enhances a brand's value proposition by involving customers in the creation process. Collaborating with the target audience ensures their perspectives, preferences, and needs are integrated into the brand's offerings. This not only strengthens the authenticity of the value proposition but also fosters a sense of ownership and resonance among customers. Through co-creation, brands can tap into diverse insights, resulting in a value proposition that is finely tuned to customer expectations, establishing a powerful and differentiated position in the market.

Your value proposition is the promise you make to your customers that illustrates why they should choose your brand over others. It's where your company culture and market offering intersect to highlight unique benefits. A value proposition informed by your company culture is authentic and sustainable. It can communicate a commitment to quality, innovation, or customer service that is deeply ingrained in your organizational ethos, making your brand more memorable and attractive.

Differentiation is everything. People are too intelligent and informed to accept a 'me too' brand strategy / approach. We must stand out.

Your value proposition is a promise that sets your brand apart. By using your company's unique strengths, you stand out from the competition and create a stronger bond with your audience. The more compelling the value proposition, the stronger the brand differentiation. ??

Your brand values serve as a reflective mirror, mirroring the core principles that your organization embraces as it evolves. It is imperative that the image projected by your brand aligns harmoniously with the culture of your organization. When there is a stark contrast between the brand image and the organizational culture, consumer trust is jeopardized. A case in point is the recent example of the popular brand #Paradyes, which artfully showcased its work culture, its people, and the overall environment. This strategic move conveyed a powerful message about the workplace being as cool and vibrant as the brand and products they offer.

Companies cannot express values inherently, as values are a distinctly human characteristic. Engage on a personal level, cultivate a brand personality, and convey to customers that they are conversing with a friend or a trusted human advisor. This can be achieved by altering the terminology and fostering more authentic interactions.

Your brand personality is essentially the human characteristics associated with your brand. It's what makes your brand relatable and engaging. To use company culture as a differentiator, ensure that your brand personality aligns with the culture you've cultivated. Whether your brand is friendly, authoritative, innovative, or quirky, let these traits be consistently reflected in all your communications and interactions. This congruence makes your brand feel more genuine and can attract customers who share or appreciate these traits.

La personalidad de la marca debe ser una extensión de los valores de la empresa y debe alinearse con la propuesta de valor para ser coherente en todos los puntos de contacto con la audiencia. La autenticidad y la coherencia en la expresión de la personalidad contribuyen a mejorar la percepción y diferenciación de la marca.

After defining your distinctive brand values you can start to think about how these will translate into your tone of voice and visuals. I see that most companies will ask for a new logo, website or other designs but if the values aren't defined and distinctive it's a futile exercise. Get step one in first!

Your brand personality should be a natural extension of your core values and value proposition, embodying traits that your target audience admires and relates to. Whether it's friendly, professional, innovative, or quirky, ensure this personality is reflected consistently across all brand elements, from the brand name and logo to the tone of voice used in communications and the overall visual style. A well-crafted brand personality not only makes your brand more relatable and memorable but also helps to differentiate it in a crowded market.

A compelling brand story is a cohesive narrative that encompasses the facts and feelings created by your brand. Your company culture can drive this narrative, providing a unique story that sets you apart. This story should encompass where your company has come from, what it believes in, the challenges it has overcome, and what it aspires to be. A story rooted in company culture gives customers and employees something to believe in and connect with, beyond the products or services you sell.

Creating your brand story is a pivotal step in using company culture to differentiate your brand. This story is the narrative that tells customers who you are, what you do, and why you matter. It should be rooted in your core values, value proposition, and brand personality, effectively showcasing your purpose, vision, and impact. An engaging, authentic, and emotional brand story resonates deeply with your audience. It's important to share this story through various mediums such as content marketing, testimonials, and case studies. This approach not only communicates your brand's unique identity but also builds a strong emotional connection with your audience, reinforcing why your brand is significant and unique in the marketplace.

Think of your brand story as the paragraph that explains your specific brand positioning. In other words, your brand story should plant a flag in the ground and say 'This spot is ours. This is where we play (within our industry) and here's how and why we play here.

Your brand story is the reason why you exist, and why you're different to others. It's your history, your vision for the future, and the change that you're bringing to customers and the industry.

Crafting a compelling brand story is paramount, weaving together your core values, value proposition, and brand personality. For instance, if sustainability is a core value, your brand story could narrate a journey towards eco-friendly practices, emphasizing your commitment to a greener future. Share this story authentically through engaging content, impactful testimonials, and illustrative case studies, resonating emotionally with your audience and reinforcing your brand's identity and purpose.

Shared purpose and values create trust; a consistent brand experience that supports that shared purpose and values keeps it. Your brand experience extends beyond your customers to employees, partners, and vendors. Even broader, it extends to your community, which includes each of these stakeholders and those who are aware of your brand, interact with it, and share your interest in your purpose and values. This shared experience built on purpose and values becomes the connective tissue across stakeholder groups. It is what builds your identity and creates momentum for your brand. Every touchpoint for your brand experience should be built through the lens of that shared purpose and values. It is your north star for brand decisions.

Every interaction customers have with your brand forms part of their overall brand experience. To differentiate your brand, this experience should be a direct manifestation of your company culture. From the first touchpoint to post-purchase support, the experience should be consistent and reflective of the culture you uphold. Whether it’s through personalized service or community engagement, the unique aspects of your culture should shine through, creating a distinctive and memorable experience that can foster loyalty and advocacy.

Delivering an exceptional brand experience is the culmination of effectively using your company culture to differentiate your brand. This experience encompasses all customer interactions with your brand throughout their journey. It should align with your core values, value proposition, brand personality, and brand story, aiming to meet or exceed customer expectations, solve their problems, and provide delight. Key to this experience is consistency, seamlessness, and personalization. Your company culture and employee behavior play a significant role in enhancing this experience.

I think it is important to align brand interactions with core values, value proposition, personality, and story. Take Apple, for example; their seamless blend of product design, marketing, and customer service delivers a consistent, delightful experience. It is crucial to leverage your company culture to differentiate and make a lasting impression. When employees embody brand values, it enhances the overall experience, fostering trust, loyalty, and advocacy. This holistic approach not only stands you out but propels sustainable business growth.

Imagine delivering your brand experience as a maestro orchestrates a symphony which leaves a enthralling effect on his audience. Similarly, ensure every touchpoint reflects the harmony of your core values, value proposition, brand personality, and brand story. Exceed expectations, solving their problems, and infusing delightful surprises along the way. Strive for consistency, seamlessly weaving their experience into a tapestry of personalized moments. Just as a vibrant company culture sets the stage, let it shine through every employee's behavior, enhancing the overall experience. Learn to leverage your company culture as a unique differentiator, building trust, fostering loyalty, and inspiring advocacy. "Sounds" great right?

In addition to the above, consider how your company culture can influence your employer brand. The same culture that attracts customers can attract top talent, which further strengthens your brand from the inside out. Also, think about sustainability and corporate social responsibility. A culture that prioritizes these aspects can appeal to a growing segment of consumers who value ethical and environmental considerations in their purchasing decisions. Lastly, be adaptable; as market trends and customer expectations evolve, so too should your culture and, by extension, your brand differentiation strategies.

It's also worth thinking about the context of this. Why do you specifically want to use your culture to differentiate you? And what if you have challenges within the business which need to be addressed because right now your company culture isn't something you want to shout about? The main reason organisations are leveraging their culture for differentiation is because the competitor landscape is homogenous. Few businesses now are truly bringing disruptive or unique propositions to market. This is why the drive for culture as a differentiator is happening. If your culture isn't tip top then these same steps can help unite and overcome those internal challenges, if you recognise it, involve your people and redefine it together.

Just take a look at FedEx's PSP (People, Service, Profit) attitude. This is a big part of their company culture, and they expect all of their employees to live up to "The World On Time" promise. Conclusion? High-engagement employees who deliver excellent service. Because of a blocked road, a FedEx driver once hired a helicopter to bring a very important package on time! That's an example of how a great corporate culture can set a brand apart. Brand building always starts from the inside, preferably from day one. Branding is not about big billboard ads and budgets in the millions.

Además de identificar los valores, trabajar la propuesta de valor, la personalidad y la historia de tu marca, a la par que ofreces una experiencia genuina y excelente a los clientes, para lograr la diferenciación de tu marca gracias a la cultura de tu empresa, los empleados son clave. Los empleados pueden ser los mejores embajadores de una marca y, para conseguirlo, es muy importante que la Dirección esté comprometida con el bienestar de la plantilla ejerciendo un liderazgo responsable, que implica hacerles partícipes de los objetivos, retos y logros comunes a través de la comunicación interna y velar por que la empresa impacte de forma positiva en ellos para que se sientan orgullosos de pertenecer a esa empresa y puedan transmitirlo.

Sometimes people get attached to stories behind a brand before the brand itself, so by sharing insights regarding your company culture with all its core values, heritage and previous accomplishments this will give your audience a reason to believe in what your brand is going to offer. Specially if you are targeting the same segment you’ve worked with before so they already lived the story with you.