The 4 Cornerstones of Branding To Ensure Your Businesses’ Enduring Success

Remember the “good old days” when all you needed to be successful was a dream, some determination, and little bit of cash? Thanks to significant shifts in technology and a rapidly evolving marketing landscape, a unique, strategic approach is needed now more than ever, to ensure your business stays strong for many years to come.

While there are many reasons a modern company’s success may wane, we know this for sure—they didn’t start out expecting to fail. To help position you for continuing success, we’ve outlined the four cornerstones all businesses need to be able to develop a powerful brand that’s built to last.

Cornerstone 01: Profits Don’t Grow By Accident

Ask any architect what makes a building stand the test of time and he will tell you: the foundation. It’s the same for brands. Enduring success requires significant time spent at the ground level, identifying your core values and brand’s attributes, and then translating them into consistent messaging and imagery that is clear and easy to comprehend. A well thought out plan creates a strong foundation, which in turn forms a lasting impression—and that’s what gets your audience to respond.

“Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.” — Jim Collins Good to Great

While certainly the first step in the right direction, a strong foundation isn’t all that’s needed.

Cornerstone 02: To Thine Own Self Be True

The name of the game is setting your brand apart from the pack while keeping it real. In other words, stop trying to be someone you’re not.

According to a 2014 study by Cohn & Wolfe, the number one quality people expect from a brand is: honest communication about products and services. Whether they realize it or not, your customers are looking for what’s called authentic marketing, and that style of marketing begins not with tactics but with you.

When branding your business, starting with questions like, “Who are we?” “What do we believe?” “What do we want to be known for?” will help you to build richer connections between you and your customers, and ultimately foster loyalty to your brand, products and services.

“Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. By WHY I mean your purpose, cause or belief — WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care?” — Simon Sinek, Start With Why?

But, this isn’t about making a phony sales pitch in an attempt sell ice water to an Eskimo. It’s about showing some personality, taking a stand for what you believe in, and telling your unique story.

Cornerstone 03: Speak With One Voice

Once these vital questions have been answered, your brand’s messaging should then be communicated to your target audience, using a variety of marketing platforms—through a comprehensive approach. It’s easy to fall into the trap of tackling them piece-by-piece, which in the end will only hurt your bottom line. Integrated marketing couples various methods together to harnesses not only the benefits of each channel, but the exponential impact that occurs when combined—enabling your business to grow to its fullest potential.

But that’s hard to do when there are so many cooks in the kitchen.

The solution? Put one group of creative professionals behind the wheel and you’ll get cohesion across all platforms without running the risk of generating brand confusion or sending mixed messages. By working with a company that not only offers a full suite of services (like those listed below), but also knows how to use them in tandem to build a unified, effective, and memorable brand, you’ll be positioned for strategic growth.

• Advertising
• Brand Strategy
• Print & Digital Design
• Marketing
• Public Relations
• Social Media
• Video
• Website Development

Ugh! Sounds like a lot of work, right?

Cornerstone 04: Capitalize On What You Do Best

Face it: to do it right takes an immense amount of time, experience, and a stockpile of industry connections. There just aren’t enough hours in the day to handle everything that’s already on your plate plus the marketing and advertising efforts. Instead, it’s time to call for backup, because with a knowledgeable partner by your side, you can maximize your businesses potential without the need for an added hat.

Save time and energy by allowing our results-oriented team of qualified professionals to take care of what we do best. We already know the ins and outs from decades of experience, and it shows in our track record of success. Keep your focus on running your business with confidence knowing we’ve got you covered.