Strong brand can be quickly deflated

Russell Bell PHOTO/FILE

It is interesting when you observe how brands have travelled over the years.

Some brands and the companies which have supported them have disappeared completely while others are stronger today than they have ever been.

Others are newcomers but the way they are promoted and understood mean their raison d'etre is understood and highly identified with by consumers and the wider market.

At the centre of this are the strategic direction and how the brand is developed and then nurtured over time. Which is why branding is a specialist undertaking and requires support from professionals to get the full benefit and return from your brand.

The most successful companies did not develop their brand in the kitchen over a cup of tea and an A4 notepad.

As we have seen play out in front of us over the past few weeks, the same characteristics which apply to corporate branding can be readily applied to us as individuals.

Unfortunately for individuals and businesses one maxim is universal - one false move and years of investment in a brand or business can be lost (or tarnished for a long time).

This is because brands reside in the land of perception where the truth comes second and minds can be made up on information of varying levels of veracity. Perception is what you have to manage, and this requires investment.

It will come as no surprise that the most effective marketing is word of mouth and the same is true of maintaining and building your brand. People will form an opinion of you and your business and express this in the market - in a lot of cases these opinions will be birthed and those giving it may not even be your clients/customers. Indeed, your competitors may be in the market trying to influence perceptions and by implication your brand.

One of the cornerstones of any good strategic plan is understanding your environment but also setting in place plans to manage the position of your business in it.

This can be summarised as marketing but it is really important that consideration of your brand is included.

And much of what you do to maintain that outward presence starts on the inside.

Your brand is often developed and positioned by the things that most people don't see.

So it's important to have your house in order and that you have in place controls to make sure that things don't go awry - particularly when it comes to delivering service.

And we need to be aware that it can be the most innocuous of incidents which can deflate a strong brand.

I recall a situation some time ago where a company was undertaking a project and (to quote the project manager) they had covered off 99 per cent of all eventualities. Guess what?

That 1 per cent actually crystallised and the brand of a company with a good reputation for quality, accuracy and completeness of work was tarnished on the back of a negative perception.

So a marketing and brand strategy is crucial to achieving your objectives and there are professionals here who can help.

Russell Bell's Zenith Solutions is a specialist Wanganui business advice and consultancy practice - 021 2442421.