Four questions you absolutely must ask about your brand
A great brand can turn prospects into customers. And it can turn customers into evangelists. There are two components to a great brand. One gets all the attention. But it is the second component that you have to pay attention to is you want to aspire to creating evangelists for your brand.
Brand component 1: Planting the stake in the ground
This is where most companies spend the majority of their time. They create bold statements about what the brand is. Or better yet, what the brand can do for you. This is the exciting, emotional component. It results in statements about the brand that inspire and motivate. Companies rightfully get enamored by the language of this brand component. It should be powerful and exciting. But we need to have the discipline to ask the hard questions that are part of the second brand component in order to create a brand that is meaningful.
Brand component 2: Proving it
This is definitely the less sexy side of the brand. Proving it means substantiating the first component’s bold claim. It means providing real, tangible proof. To get there, you have to provide answers to these four questions:
- How is it relevant in today’s world?
- How is it differentiated from the competition?
- How is it ownable by the brand?
- How is it valuable to the audience?
Proof is the difference between a hollow promise and a meaningful brand. Ask the hard questions. Your brand will be all the better for it.