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Strategic Branding for Corporate Growth and Elevating Your Brand

  • tiffanydanielledob
  • Dec 14, 2024
  • 6 min read

Updated: May 14

Written by Danielle Dobbs 





Strategic Branding for Corporate Growth and Resilience


Strategic branding is crucial for driving corporate growth and resilience, especially in the age of artificial intelligence and digital content proliferation. A well-crafted brand strategy can significantly impact customer loyalty, market value, and overall business success.


The Power of Strategic Branding


Your brand strategy should be deeply rooted in the culture of your company. The delivery of your product is dependent on the messaging your business provides internally and externally.


Ultimately, it results in the way your customer perceives you. Do they believe you deliver on what you say you provide? Today, this perception is called the “Brand Promise.”


Trust is a critical component of understanding the level of confidence customers have around your product. Without trust sales don't happen. For instance, brands like Apple and YETI exemplify how a strong brand can increase customer loyalty and overall market value. These companies consistently deliver on their promises, reinforcing trust and loyalty among their customer base.


Measuring Brand Trust


Brand trust is a critical factor in building long-term engagement and securing recurring purchases. According to a nationwide study conducted by Rebel, 71% of consumers cite positive past experiences with a brand as the top factor influencing their trust. Consistent product quality is equally important, also rated by 71% of consumers as a key driver of trust. Other significant factors include customer service (64%) and brand reputation (62%) (Rebel & Co., n.d.).


However, the same study reveals that trust is fragile—when consumers lose trust in a brand, only 34% will continue to purchase from it. The most influential factor for losing trust is a bad experience, which affects nearly 50% of consumers. When combined with inconsistent product quality, this number rises to 74%, meaning that 3 out of 4 customers may stop trusting a brand due to these issues (Rebel & Co., n.d.).


AI tools can assist in measuring customer sentiment towards your brand. One effective method is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is often regarded as the gold standard for customer experience metrics. Implementing an NPS system allows businesses to gauge different ways to improve customer experience based on direct feedback. This long-term strategy helps assess the trust level of your customers in your brand promise and provides insights for necessary changes (Qualtrics, n.d.).


Branding as a Business Asset


As we see the impact trust plays in customer sentiment from an NPS score, we can also observe how it affects the bottom line of companies. Customers tend to share products they love, which can lead to organic growth.


A clear and memorable brand message is imperative. It’s important to understand the brand identity your company projects. For instance, Nike's "Just Do It" campaign effectively communicates motivation and empowerment, making it simple for consumers to remember and relate to . When your message is clear, consumers are more likely to share it, enhancing brand recognition and future sales, which ultimately boosts company valuation. Marketing is not how clever you can make the campaign, it’s all about how memorable you can make it and clear about what you provide.


Building a Brand That Resonates with Stakeholders


Stakeholders need to see consistency and authenticity in the brand they are invested in. Stakeholders invest in the brand because they see opportunity, which naturally makes them ambassadors. Give your stakeholders content or messaging that they are proud to share.


For example, Tesla engages its stakeholders by keeping them informed about company developments and innovations, encouraging them to share their experiences. This authentic communication fosters a sense of community and advocacy among stakeholders, who can then promote the brand to their networks . Your company needs to be in front of stakeholders so they can advocate with friends and family. This is an opportunity for authenticity to shine through because it’s not an ad, it’s individuals that are sharing about the growth of the company rather than a billboard ad.


Aligning Brand Strategy with Business Strategy


Your brand strategy needs to align with the business model and growth strategy. If your company is not inventing the latest cutting-edge technology, don’t try to create a brand image that’s about having the latest and greatest technology. As the company scales, knowing your brand also helps when making decisions of what the company is not going to pursue versus what it could explore as additional products or services. Branding efforts also have a broader impact on recruitment as a company scales.


Potential hires are reviewing the presentation of the company, what values guide them, and how focused they are on their vision and mission. It gives new hires the opportunity to choose to “buy in” without even walking through the doors for a first interview.


Patagonia is one example that ties their brand identity to their mission. The brand is built around environmental sustainability, which aligns with its business model of producing eco-friendly outdoor gear. This alignment helps in decision-making and ensures that the brand remains authentic to its mission .


Measuring Brand Impact

We already discussed a measurement for the customer experience and brand trust, but brand loyalty can be seen in the numbers of retention of customers. Beyond NPS, consider customer retention metrics to assess brand loyalty.


If a company focuses too heavily on attracting new customers without understanding the needs of existing ones, it risks losing its loyal base. For instance, Zappos is known for its exceptional customer service, which contributes to high retention rates. They prioritize customer feedback to continuously improve their offerings .


Branding in Times of Change


Branding encapsulates a personality. During times of change, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, brands have opportunities to show empathy and adaptability.


For instance, Coca-Cola responded to the pandemic by launching campaigns promoting community support and health safety. Their actions, such as donating to relief efforts, demonstrated care and accountability, reinforcing their brand values .


Leadership’s Role in Brand Stewardship


If leaders do not embody the brand values and be an ambassador for the brand, then a company cannot expect for their teams to have enthusiasm. C-Suite executives need to be the champions of the brand. Leaders that also believe in the brand show authenticity of believing in the mission and vision. It is an energy that catches on with others throughout the organization and feeds the relational team synergy of wanting to be part of something bigger. When leaders disregard efforts to build the brand or play enthusiasm off as just hype, their team members will do likewise .


The Future of Branding


The future of branding is exciting. AI tools have been developed to assess the impact of creative content BEFORE it is even launched on media platforms. Tools in predictive analytics and personalization will be AI-driven to provide a more customized experience. These tools will allow companies to reach the audience that are looking for solutions to their specific problems. It will be essential that brands have their own identity and not be too vanilla in the way they present themselves. People buy from people. Brands need to project a uniqueness that people will relate to in order to stand out from the crowded market of content and noise. Executives need to think through what tools will continue to enhance the client experience that will allow more personalization and optimize the time of their teams to serve their audience more efficiently .


Actionable Steps for Executives and Managers


  • Implement an NPS System: Establish a method for measuring brand sentiment around customer experience.

  • Data Ownership: Decide who will gather and analyze customer feedback data to ensure actionable insights.

  • Brand Messaging Audit: Review and refine your brand messaging to ensure clarity and memorability.

  • Engage Stakeholders: Create content that stakeholders can proudly share to amplify brand advocacy.

  • Align Strategies: Ensure your brand strategy is aligned with your business model and growth objectives.

  • Monitor Customer Retention: Analyze retention metrics to understand customer loyalty and areas for improvement.

  • Communicate Authentically: Maintain transparent communication with stakeholders, especially during times of change.

  • Lead by Example: C-Suite executives should embody and promote brand values to inspire their teams.

  • Leverage AI Tools: Invest in AI-driven tools for predictive analytics to enhance customer experiences.

  • Foster a Brand Culture: Encourage a company-wide culture that values brand stewardship and authenticity.


By integrating these strategies and examples, businesses can effectively elevate their brand, drive corporate growth, and build resilience in a competitive landscape.



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Written by Danielle Dobbs

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