Building a brand is three dimensional. There are the obvious things, the ones that come to mind immediately when you think about the word branding. What products you sell and to whom are the basics, as are the advertisements and packaging designs.
The second layer of building a brand is about the more subtle cues you send out. Where your company shows up for social media, online, and to in person events, is your company’s community. The ways that your company interacts with its community sends signals to potential customers about how they should feel about what your company does.
The third layer of branding is internal. How your employees feel about working for your company matters in terms of how the public will perceive your company’s overall brand and in the quality of the product you produce. Happy, motivated, appreciated employees work harder and smarter.
This article will focus on some ways to achieve the second and third levels of branding. Fortunately, they all provide great bang for your buck in that they simultaneously will build trust with customers while also making your employees proud and engaged.
Donate Profits
We all know brands that launched their products in a huge way by promising to donate a portion of their profits to a worthy charity. The success of the Newman’s Own food brand was due in large part to the combination of good quality of their products combined with the fact that consumers felt proud to purchase them, because 100% of the company’s profits go to charity. Feeling like your purchase is actually a form of generosity is a status symbol people will pay for.
If your company can afford it, making a sustained, public commitment to donating a portion of your profits can be a major marketing coup. Not only will consumers gravitate towards purchases that feel good, but employees can feel proud knowing that their work genuinely makes the world a little bit better.
Have Tesla Charging Stations
More and more automobile manufacturers are finding ways to use electricity to reduce the overall oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Companies who feature electric and hybrid charging stations send a big message to employees, visitors, and ultimately, consumers about their commitment to the future.
There are great, easy options available that make it easy for anyone visiting your facility to know that your company makes green-friendly travel simple. For example, an EVgo Tesla charging station is a familiar product electric car owners recognize and enjoy. Companies like EVgo make it easy for drivers to travel by electric vehicle without worry or hassle about getting to their next destination.
Reduce Your Footprint
Being good to the earth is something to brag about. With the growing concern over climate change and the environment becoming a larger and larger part of the global conversation, your company has an opportunity to show that they care and to really make an impact. Consider taking an inventory of how your company wastes energy and then commit to doing better.
Let your customer base know what you are going to do and how much change you have managed. That not only helps your brand, it helps inspire others to take action. What’s better branding than being a trend leader for something seriously positive?
Have a Sense of Humor
Giving people a laugh gives them a much-needed break. The day-to-day grind is real. If you can make your employees and customers chuckle, they will reward you with their loyalty. Some of the things that go viral the fastest are things that make people laugh out loud. A well-timed joke, a bit of self-deprecating humor, or a swipe at something that deserves to be taken down a peg, these are all ways to give you a bonding moment with your stakeholders. They’ll reward you by liking and sharing what you had to say.
Choose Where to Be
It’s a no-brainer to think about where you advertise as part of your branding statement. What about where your brick-and-mortar presence is located? For example, companies that take up the charge of moving into, or staying in, an area with a struggling economy send a strong signal of solidarity. Here are some questions you can ask yourself about the branding of your location.
How does our location impact our employees’ quality of life? Employees who have easy commutes to work facilities that have the friendly, professional amenities they want, tend to love their jobs. Who benefits from us being in our location? If your location is just about executive prestige, your company is missing an opportunity. Companies whose presence bolsters the local economy or culture are natural branding heroes. Are you proud of your location? The answer should always be yes, and you should know exactly why it makes you proud. Chances are, if it makes you proud, it will make your customers and employees proud too.