Think of your company’s branding the way you think about the curb appeal of your home. When you want to increase the market value of your home, you have to improve others’ first impressions of your property—update landscaping, apply a fresh coat of paint, choose new porch furniture, and so on. It’s the same with your company. How people perceive you in the marketplace is going to directly impact how they value your company and the products and services it provides. Much like working on a landscape, if you don’t take time throughout the year to weed and care for your garden, it will look ratty, rundown and vulnerable in no time. It will have the adverse affect of what you want.
Keep in mind that your branding is not something you can forget about. You set it up, but you must continue to improve and evolve as time goes on. Here are some key factors to keep in mind for constant improvement.
- Your mission, vision, values, and purpose statements must be updated and reflect your business accordingly. Your company’s mission may be exactly the same as they day it was created, but has your vision or goals for the future altered slightly? Do you believe your company’s values may have grown? Ask yourself these important questions when re-reading and evaluating your MVVP.
- Is your website up to date? Are you mobile friendly? You should be using the latest technology, SEO, inbound marketing tactics, and modern design to keep your website relevant.
- Is your marketing collateral updated? Your marketing collateral such as brochures, white papers, and social media should be updated with the most important, latest information that is relevant to your target audience.
- Does your logo need a refresh? While you don’t want to constantly be changing your organization’s look, sometimes a quick refresh towards a more modern feel can improve your relevancy as an ever-evolving business.
- Social media—when was the last time you posted an update? Social media is a highly effective, cost-friendly way to market your services and stay relevant in the social community. If your profiles are stale with month or year-old updates, and you have a hard time regularly posting, consider either removing your social presence or hiring an expert to keep your business on top of social trends.
Challenge: Moving forward, carve out time each month to evaluate the effectiveness of your branding and your company’s curb appeal. Make improvements regularly—doing so will not only increase the value or perception of your brand but it will motivate and excite your employees. It will attract new clients and prospects as well.
And always remember…
