7 Disciplines to Realign the Brand Experience
If you want to build a strong brand, you need to build brand equity. This is the line item on a company’s balance sheet generally referred to as “Goodwill”.
There are two parts to building brand equity: the brand promise and the brand experience. Here’s how it works:
Brand Equity increases when the Brand Experience matches the Brand Promise.
When customers – including internal groups who are viewed as customers – experience exactly what is promised, the belief in the brand (and thereby trust) increases. This in turn raises the overall value of the brand.
But when the experience is out of alignment with the promise then brand equity remains flat, or worse, decreases.
The Walmart Test
A simple way to understand this concept is to consider a potential shopping experience at Walmart.
If you found a pair of shoes at Walmart that costs twice as much as the same pair sold at Target or Amazon, your perception of Walmart would be frustration and bewilderment. Why? Because you expect Walmart to have the lowest (or at least close-to-the-lowest) prices. That’s their brand promise.
Equally true, if you saw a pair of high-end shoes at Walmart that were priced as you would expect to find them at a high-end retailer, again your perception of Walmart would be one of confusion. You don’t expect to find high-end shoes at Walmart (or at least authentic ones), nor do you expect to pay high-end prices.
Such brand disconnects lead to a lower brand perception, and for Walmart would ultimately lower their brand equity.
However, when Walmart consistently delivers on its promise of semi-reasonable quality at the lowest prices (or more commonly referred to as “cheap”), then its brand equity increases.
[Note: I’m ignoring the fact that Walmart’s four beliefs (values) are not aligned with or support the company’s brand promise.]
The key issue here is consistency. It’s one of the first rules of branding. Consistency helps build a brand. Inconsistency tears it apart.
Realigning the Brand Experience with the Brand Promise
When an organization’s brand experience is not aligned with its brand promise, a realignment needs to occur using the following set of disciplines.
- Employ the right people. In the book Good to Great, author Jim Collins made famous the phrase “Start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats.” Almost always the problem with consistency is people related. Every employee needs to believe in the brand and be willing to do whatever it takes to deliver on the brand promise.
- Align values and culture. Ensure a positive set of boundaries that supports the strengths of the organization and creates a focus forward. It’s fine to have aspirational values, but the core values need to reflect the reality and unique assets of the current culture.
- Make a good first impression. Just because a company is extremely good at something doesn’t mean that potential customers can see it. If the first impression is not good, the rest won’t matter. Assess and fix all initial touchpoints to ensure they are positive and make the most of the first few seconds with a customer (i.e. the entrance to the store or office, the initial greeting when someone calls the company, the various landing pages on the website, etc.).
- Fix problems quickly. When a problem arises, engage all of the right people to find solutions fast. It’s not only efficient; it enhances the brand experience. Also ensure front-line employees have the power and authority to solve problems. This doesn’t mean they do whatever someone asks for or requests. It means solving relevant issues that align with and support the brand promise.
- Leverage listening posts. Encourage management (at all levels) to engage with both customers and employees on a regular basis (e.g. weekly). Seek out what’s working well, what’s not, and recommendations on what needs to be fixed or improved. Teach managers how to listen well and ask better questions.
- Examine performance reviews. There is wisdom in the popular saying, “What gets measured gets done”. It’s essential that employee reviews include an assessment of how their decisions and behaviors either support or oppose the core values, which drive the brand experience. Both the reminder of what matters and the correction when needed pay long-term dividends.
- Be adaptive. The brand promise never remains stagnant. It’s continually being evaluated and tweaked to remain relevant (due to competitive pressures, strategy change, new leadership, etc.). Regardless of the reason, when the brand is being refreshed the brand experience needs to adapt, while also ensuring the brand legacy is preserved. (Yes, if this were easy, anyone could do it).
An important note about the brand experience: it’s never static. It’s always in need of adjustment – somewhere, at some point. But leaders of strong brands use these disciplines to continually realign the brand experience with the brand promise. It’s how they build brand equity.
