Adventures in Wonderbrand
In our last blog, ‘Through the Post-Pandemic Looking-Glass’, we joined the characters of Lewis Carroll’s books to highlight a number of the most pressing questions that businesses and brand owners are facing as they venture out into a new environment. Here we consider the strategic steps that curious businesses are taking to reshape their futures.
STEP 1 - BRAND PURPOSE
“No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise." "Wouldn't it, really?" said Alice, in a tone of great surprise. "Of course not," said the Mock Turtle. "Why, if a fish came to me, and told me he was going on a journey, I should say 'With what porpoise?” ― Lewis Carroll.
At every stage of your business journey it is essential to know your Brand Purpose, to define why your business exists beyond financial gain.
STEP 2 – CORE ESSENCE
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” “What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!” “I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.”
Your Core Essence is the brand’s promise, distilled and expressed in the simplest, most single-minded terms - a single word or phrase that captures the soul of your brand and sustains it over time.
STEP 3 – VALUES
"If you’ll believe in me, I’ll believe in you. Is that a bargain?"
Brand values form a set of guiding principles and promises that form strong beliefs that shape every aspect of your business and are lived every day at every touchpoint.
“But it’s no use now,” thought poor Alice, “to pretend to be two people! Why, there’s hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!”
In a world of transparency, where all of an organisation’s actions and motivations are laid bare, only those companies that are authentic will achieve trust.
STEP 4 – KEY VALUE PROPOSITIONS
“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.”
Value Propositions are not created in a vacuum, how you leave your customers feeling is of paramount importance. Value propositions define the actions you take to create customer value.
STEP 5 – BRAND VOCABULARY & TONE OF VOICE
“Speak English!” said the Eaglet. “I don’t know the meaning of half those long words, and, what’s more, I don’t believe you do either!” “Then you should say what you mean,” the March Hare went on. “I do,” Alice hastily replied; “at least — at least I mean what I say — that's the same thing, you know.” “Not the same thing a bit!” said the Hatter. “You might just as well say that "I see what I eat" is the same thing as "I eat what I see"!”
The words and tone of voice we use to convey messages are crucial. In a crowded market, we must avoid ‘vanilla’ phrases and look to stand out with compelling clarity.
STEP 6 - PROOF POINTS
"If there’s no meaning in it,’ said the King, ‘that saves a world of trouble, you know, as we needn’t try to find any."
Underpinning the credibility of your business and expertise with strong evidence and case studies is essential to convey your brand meaning with authority.
STEP 7 – ELEVATOR PITCH
“And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”
Every single member of your team should be able to tell the story of your business in a way that is engaging and leads to a value-based conversation.
STEP 8 – MARKETING ACTION PLAN
"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" "Well, some go this way, and some go that way. But as for me, myself, personally, I prefer the short-cut."
Whether you have a new business, are launching a new product or service, embarking on a rebrand or a brand refresh, a Marketing Action Plan provides a short-cut to clarity through a roadmap containing actionable and prioritised insights to help you drive your business and brand forward.
"Every adventure requires a first step."
Brand Workshop is a proven framework and rigorous process that will help you articulate your purpose and bring your brand vision and values to life in just one day.
To find out more about how a Brand Workshop can be the springboard for your success in 2021 and beyond, call us on 020 7464 4400 or email us at [email protected].