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The worldwide pandemic has gut-punched us all both personally and professionally.
While we work to stem the bleeding, it’s hard to imagine that this is an opportune time
to sharpen your brand or launch a rebranding effort.
But let’s face it, as the pandemic subsides, we’re seeing some brands live and some
brands die. Chances are, all that has your company a little nervous.
Now’s the time to become the purpose-built brand you’ve always wanted to be.
To really engage and connect with customers. Assure your brand resonates. And be
genuinely empathetic, transparent, and helpful. All wrapped in an aura of thought
leadership.
All of the above is going to rely on a strong brand culture. Wait, what? When shell-
shocked employees are already dealing with a heap of personal and professional
issues? Yes! It’s critical that they’re energized, motivated, and focused on being great
brand ambassadors who deliver on your brand promise every day.
So you see, there’s a lot to do. So, while things are a little slow, here are 10 reasons
why it’s the perfect time to sharpen your brand.
WILL YOUR BRANDBE RELEVANT
IN THE NEW N RMAL?
experrabranding.com
1YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T LOOKING
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They’re too busy watching the pandemic and its effect on their business. I know, so are
you. But they’re so pre-occupied with keeping it together that they’re not going to pay
attention as you energize what we call your Total Brand Experience:
• Brand Identity: What you look like
• Brand Manifesto: What you stand for
• Brand Culture: How you deliver on your brand promise
Once you articulate your TBC, everything becomes easy. From product introductions to
marketing campaigns to customer support programs to internal morale initiatives.
As the world gets back to work, you’ll hit the ground running while your competition is
still waking up.
experrabranding.com
YOUR INDUSTRY HAS STOPPED MARKETING
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Chances are your industry has gone quiet as companies regroup, reassess, and slowly
reemerge. But as every business book tells you, times of crisis are the best times to
bolster your marketing.
So don’t abandon your budget or your brand. Now is the time to act.
You’ll come out of the pandemic with a stronger company and an enviable market
position in the new normal.
experrabranding.com
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IT’S TIME TO BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE
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The pandemic has forced companies to act in all sorts of unexpected ways. Layoffs.
Furloughs. Working from home. Endless zoom meetings. TV commercials that say, “We
feel sorry for you, so buy our product.”
It’s difficult to get in front of the situation. Stop. Take a breath. And look for proactive
improvements. What’s working? What’s not? What needs improvement? What positive
things can we do and say for our customers and employees right now?
Remember, brand strategy = business strategy.
So it’s beneficial to look at every business decision you make through a branding lens.
Is it on brand? If so, right on.
experrabranding.com
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YOU MAY NEED TO REINVENT YOURSELF
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When we enter the post-CVD world, business will be different. Your customers will
different. Your company will be different. Question is, can you emerge a better you?
Take a cold, hard look at your short-term and long-term business goals. Industry
trends. External and internal barriers to success. Core competencies. Areas of new or
renewed focus.
Then upgrade your brand to reflect your metamorphosis.
experrabranding.com
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NOW YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY MATTERS
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If there’s a silver lining in the pandemic cloud, it’s that we’ve taken stock in what’s
really important to us. Our family, our friends, our health. No doubt, your actions reflect
your new commitments – your passionate reasons to exist. Same goes for your brand.
If you’ve read Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, you’re familiar with the premise that:
• Every company knows WHAT they do
• Some companies know HOW they do it, what differentiates them from the
competition
• Very few companies know WHY they do it – their purpose, cause or belief.
Why they exist
Now, more than ever, you have a better idea why your company exists. Time to reflect
what really matters in your brand manifesto.
experrabranding.com
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YOUR BRAND STORY NEEDS TO BE RELEVANT
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Your brand is the sum of all feelings, connotations, experiences, qualities, and
touchpoints that your target audiences associate with your company.
That’s a narrative you can develop, nurture and control. It all starts with a carefully
articulated brand story. So sharpen your pencil, and make sure it reflects who you are
in an aspirational and motivational way. Then boil it down to a tight elevator speech
that everyone in your company knows by heart – and takes to heart.
The best way to be relevant is to deliver on your brand story, brand promise, and
brand experience every day.
experrabranding.com
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DIGITAL MARKETING SHOULD BE UPDATED
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Okay, you’ve addressed everything you’ve read so far, now what? Time to tackle your
digital marketing checklist. It starts with an updated marketing and communications
plan. Then it gets executed through brand channels such as your:
• Website
• Content marketing
• Social media
• Brand e-news
• Transactional email
• Videos
Continuity in branding, reflected in updated Brand Standards, will put a sharp point on
everything you do.
experrabranding.com
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A STRONG BRAND CULTURE IS YOUR BEST DEFENSE
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With your company and people coming back, now is the time to focus on your brand culture.
After a long, painful slog, everything, and everyone, needs a major reset. Your brand culture
is your ultimate competitive weapon. Why? Because the competition can copy your products.
And they can steal your services. But they can’t duplicate your brand culture. So, grab that
old mission/vision poster from your conference room and rewrite/refresh:
Vision – Gives your company direction. It’s the future of your business, which then provides
the purpose.
Mission – Gives your company drive. It’s what you do, what your objectives are, and how to
reach them.
Core Values – The fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that drive the behavior of your
company and people.
Together, they form an unbreakable chain the competition will never get through.
experrabranding.com
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GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER FOR THE NEW NORMAL
experrabranding.com
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When clients rebrand, refocus, and recommit, we encourage them to rebuild in terms of
the 7Ps that are fundamental to business: People, Processes, Programs, Policies,
Procedures, Pricing, and Partners.
Each building block is critical to a foundation of strength and needs to reinforce your
brand manifesto.
Are you positioned as a customer intimate company? The 7Ps need to reflect that.
Are you positioned as a product leadership company? The 7Ps need to work together
to accomplish that goal.
Are you all about organizational excellence? You know what to do.
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PROUDLY LET EVERYONE KNOW YOU’RE HERE
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If you’ve used this e-book as a checklist – and proactively sharpened your brand – then
be proud that it reflects the experience your customers can expect to have with your
business. You’ve also established trust, credibility, and thought leadership, which are
critical in the new normal.
With a relevant brand, strong brand culture, and multifaceted communications plan,
you’re ready to take on whatever comes next with confidence.
So get out there and let everyone know you’re ready for business.
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At Experra Branding Group, we’re brand strategists who create an integrated brand
experience at every touchpoint – leveraging a relevant positioning, memorable identity, and
consistent delivery – to assure short-term results and long-term equity.
We believe your business begins and ends with your brand. In between are all of the
touchpoints that make up your total brand experience. Your “why.” Your vision, mission, and
core values. Your brand culture – or how your people deliver on your brand promise every
day. Your consistent brand face, brand voice, and brand story in every communication. And
of course, your logo and tagline.
We’re virtual. A smart business model that saves our clients time and money. We manage
a team of highly experienced strategic partners and act as the gatekeeper and single point of
contact. This allows us to offer a comprehensive range of branding and demand generation
services quickly and painlessly. Our clients like our virtual model because our rates are highly
competitive, freeing up more dollars for marketing and their bottom lines.
You’re not just building your company, you’re building your brand. Create the total brand
experience with Experra.
Michael FriendChief Branding [email protected]
Let’s connect. Book time on my calendar.Love branding? Read OUR DAILY BRAND.
We create the total brand experience for advanced technology companies.
© 2020. Experra Branding Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
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