Branding Foundations

photo credit: steve p2008

Every brand needs to be built on a strong foundation. While the materials the blocks are made of change from company to company, their purpose, form, and necessity do not vary.

1. The first foundational block of your brand is the vision you hold for your company. Why does your company exist? Where are you going? What are the altruistic reasons you’re in business?
2. The second block is your mission. How are you affecting the change that will bring about the vision? What are you doing?
3. The third is your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). What is that great big goal you’re shooting for five or ten years out? Knowing this will help you to understand what strategic choices you need to make in order to achieve your goal. Remember, you’ll miss 100% of the goals you don’t set.
4. The fourth are your values. What are the values that the organization exists within? How do you do business? What behaviors you expect each and every one of your staff to exhibit every day?
5. The fifth is personality. What is the personality of the business? Upbeat? Cheerful? Steady? Restrained? Old-fashioned? Trendy?

Having a firm grasp on each of these five foundational blocks will enable your brand to soar to unprecedented heights – but only if the foundation is pure. If your foundational blocks are built on “like-to-haves” or “pretty words on the wall” it will not be authentic and will not be successful. Be honest with yourself about these foundational blocks because they will be what you are building the rest of your company upon. Everything else will rest on and rely on the foundation these blocks provide stability. With strong foundation, your brand will stand strong for many years to come. Make the time to understand your foundational blocks and make sure your foundation is strong – you won’t be sorry.