Brand, my Brand, Where oh where have you gone?

Last week, I delved into the intriguing realm of brand perception, exploring its significance from both a personal and professional standpoint. Drawing insights from personal branding can help us appreciate the deeper value and power behind the concept of Brand. Who we actually are and our belief about how others experience us, often differ from how our friends and clients actually perceive us. As individuals, we tend to construct our identities based on our degree of self-awareness, values, and personal experiences. We form an image of ourselves that aligns with our aspirations and beliefs.

However, it is crucial to acknowledge that our self-perception may not consistently align with the perception others have of us. Our friends and clients perceive us through a distinct lens, shaped by their interactions, observations, and personal encounters with us. Moreover, their perspectives are influenced by their own needs and motives. Consequently, they may discern qualities and characteristics that we inadvertently overlook or underestimate. Their feedback serves as a priceless source of insight into our true external image and how we are genuinely experienced. It grants us a novel and occasionally unforeseen perspective on the projection of ourselves we put forth.

On a personal level, a disconnect between who we know we truly are, the values we desire to express and what others are actually experiencing, can create a very uncomfortable dissonance. Embracing external feedback and the ‘uncomfortable zone’, can help us gain a clearer understanding of our strengths, weaknesses, and areas that require the growth that ultimately leads to personal and professional development. Often, a deeper analysis into our personal core values and examining our commitment to acting in alignment with them, inspires us to focus on the foundation from which all that we think, say and do springs.

As we allow time for reflection, we may begin to realize that we have unwittingly strayed from our core values in the pursuit of personal and professional relationships, allowing the need for safety, security, belonging and success to overshadow our essential self. The more we compromise what is important to us, the more confusing our words and actions become and the less our friends value and trust us.

The same holds true in business.

When we begin, our startup or new arm of business is deeply important to us. Often our new undertaking comes out of a deeply personal dream or desire. We launch with passion, energy and confidence and as we encounter the obstacles inherent in business, it is common to make small concessions that cause us to sacrifice the life that was the initial driving force for the business. Like the frog who died in the pot because the water was brought to a boil so gradually he didn’t recognize what was happening, we release our commitment to our brand, message and impact little by little without being aware of what we are doing until the damage has been done.

Usually, this happens because we think we have to ‘do what it takes’ to get the business off the ground. It could be to please a potential business partner or investor. It could be to get a product or service into the market faster. It could be to land a client or keep one you fear losing. Just as a person who becomes lost in the addictive pull of using a substance or activity that provides? short term gratification can begin to act and look different than the person we once knew to be a friend, once your brand values are compromised, the brand can easily unravel? to a point where it is unrecognizable.

Your brand walks into a bar…?

It’s been a long time! I barely recognized you!

Losing sight of the core of a brand can happen in various ways, and one of them is through inconsistent messaging and branding. When a brand fails to maintain a consistent and cohesive message across all platforms and touchpoints, it can create confusion among customers and dilute the brand's identity. Inconsistent branding may occur when different departments or individuals within an organization create their own materials without adhering to brand guidelines, resulting in a fragmented brand image. This lack of coherence can weaken the brand's impact and make it difficult for customers to connect with the essence of the brand.

Another way in which we can lose sight of the core of a brand is through operational inefficiencies. As a brand grows and expands, there is a risk of losing focus on the core values and principles that initially drove its success.

Operational inefficiencies can arise when internal processes become overly complex, decision-making becomes fragmented, or when there is a lack of alignment between different departments. These issues can lead to a decline in product or service quality, slow response times, and a decrease in customer satisfaction. When operational efficiency takes precedence over the core values of a brand, it can result in a disconnection between the brand promise and the actual customer experience, ultimately eroding the brand's foundation.

Hide and seek?

If you’re asking yourself what happened to your passion for your business, or wondering where the clarity and commitment to your brand has gone, you may be lost in trying to build your business from the outside in, rather than from the inside out. These questions are signaling you to return to the values that make up the foundation for everything else. It’s easy to get lost in formatting operation manuals, managing personality conflicts, juggling bank accounts and the rest of the unending list of ‘to dos’ necessary to building a business. All of these activities can be executed from a solid framework that emphasizes the values and vision you started with. When? all decisions are made from this viewpoint you can move more efficiently, with much more ease, positivity and speed.

Just as we cannot expect a tree to thrive without a stable and nourishing root system, a business cannot flourish without a firm and unwavering foundation built on its core values. By infusing these values into every touch point, from internal team interactions to customer experiences, the business establishes a framework for its identity to shine through consistently. This alignment between values and actions fosters a sense of authenticity and trust among both team members and guests, creating a solid groundwork for healthy growth and long-term success. Just as a tree's roots provide stability and nourishment, the steadfastness of a business's core values ensures its endurance and resilience in the face of challenges and opportunities alike. By staying true to these principles, a business can cultivate a harmonious and thriving ecosystem where its image, message, conversations, and activities reflect a unified and purposeful presence.