How to build a successful brand

In today's international business world, it is becoming more difficult to compete successfully and, ultimately, provide a return to investors.

The challenge appears to be overwhelming, especially with many corporations working on a quarter-to-quarter basis for fear of a negative reaction from the stock market and stockholders.

Thus, a number of companies, both large and small, strategically are attempting to build a brand for their companies. Why? Because a product can be imitated, but a brand cannot. The pressures of day-to-day business, with a focus on volume, forces many companies into the commodity business and they compete on price.

The proliferation of competitors, short-term objectives, and opportunities to place investment dollars elsewhere also make it difficult to invest in building brands.

Plus internal bias against innovation, and changing strategies add to the complexity. And, with today's fragmented markets and media, plus the complexity of creating brand strategies and relationships, make the process extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Thus, a process has to be developed that creates a team… a team leader, a time line, a time-table, and a budget to accomplish the objective.

Building a brand takes commitment, focus, and three to five years of complimentary programmes. It is not just an advertising programme. It is a company-wide effort that unifies everyone's energies, toward the same common objective.

There are a number of approaches to building a brand. The one that Harley-Davidson used back in the early 1980s was simple. It was easy to understand, and thus communicable to the various targets.

Simply, three basic questions were asked, analysed, defined, redrafted and then put to work. But the work took five years to do. Each year a different programme was launched to build the foundation for the brand.

It took dedication and a focus of limited resources to execute the various strategies in the different functions of the company. Each department had to take its turn, develop its plans and execute a defined strategy.

But first, the three strategic questions: Who are we? Who are our customers? What do they expect from us?  The quality of upfront thinking, will directly affect the quality of the output.

Who are we?

Is your company a house of several brands, or is your company a branded house with sub-brands? What does your company do? Provide a service, promote a cause, build a product, or create a lifestyle? Whatever it is, your statement of who you are should differentiate yourself from your competitors.

At Harley-Davidson, it was simply put. "Harley-Davidson builds big beautiful American motorcyles." It does not build mopeds, or dirt bikes, or small commuter bikes.

The styling is uniquely custom, classic in design, with an evolutionary strategy, not a revolutionary product development cycle that the competition had, with new designs, new engines, and new products every year.

The lines are smooth, with curves and shapes, and each part has a simple function. And, the bikes are built in America, by American craftsmen, engineers, and most of all real motorcyclists. We ride with you, they don't.

Who are our customers?

This is one of the most difficult aspects of the process. Are they the people who buy our products now, and how many of them are there? Or is our customer someone who aspires to the brand and what it stands for, and wants to be included?

Is our definition going to be exclusive, or inclusive to show the potential of where we are going and who we want to reach?

The analysis of the customer should understand the trends in the marketplace, the motivation behind the buying process, the unmet needs of the customer, and the subtle differences in the segmentation.

Another important aspect in creating a brand statement is understanding your competitor's brand, if it has one. What is its image, what does it stand for? Every company or competitor has strengths and weaknesses.

A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis of each competitor should indicate what its strategies are. If you dive deep enough, its vulnerabilities will eventually surface. Taking the time, being disciplined, and involving the team with bring surprising results. Then, start all over and do the same for your company.

A thorough self-analysis is where the real fun begins. Internal SWOT analysis will open eyes. But, really understanding your existing brand image, your traditions, your heritage, and above all, your company values, will help not only craft a brand statement, but will also help your company discover your potential and what your capabilities are to reach your target audience.

What did that mean at Harley? "We build big, beautiful American motorcycles for motor enthusiasts." They drive cars, hotrods, fly airplanes and drive boats. Simply put, they love motors  - all types, all shapes, all kinds.

What do they expect from you?

Believe it or not, this is the easiest part of the process. If you have done your homework, the expectations should flow from your findings. Understanding your brand identity, and what it means to your customer, is another way of addressing it.

Each brand has a personality, a relationship with the customer. Defining your company as an organisation, and understanding what it brings to the table, all contribute to what some refer to as the value proposition. Simply put: what are the benefits, both functional and emotional, that the brand gives to the customer?

In Harley style - "We build big, beautiful motorcylces for motor enthusiasts, who want their products and services to be symbols of strength, freedom, individuality, Americana, and want to share and participate in the Harley-Davidson heritage, tradition and mystique".

Now comes the most difficult part... identifying the potential programmes that will build the foundation for the brand, prioritise them, create a timetable, allocate the resources and communicate and execute the plan. Do one programme a year, take five, six, seven years to do it. Do it slowly, do it right, and most of all... stay on the strategy.

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