We’ve told you many times before that a brand is not a logo or a tagline. Rather, it’s a promise you make to your customers. If you agree with that line of thinking (and we hope that you do) this blog will explain how your brand position can and should guide decisions at your company.
First, what is a brand position?
A brand position is the money zone where:
What your company offers, intersects with what your target wants, but they can’t readily get from your competitors.
For the sake of argument, we’re going to pretend your company is a hospital. And after our Brand Dig process we’ve uncovered your brand position: “Healthcare Made Easy”
To explain how we got there would require a significant amount of time. But:
- Your target is looking for an easy healthcare experience
- Your competitors offer a lot of the same things that you do but Ease is not something they are known for
- You’ve invested in making the healthcare process easier for your patient and this can be seen in your facilities and service offerings
So here we are – “Healthcare Made Easy”
Your board meets this afternoon. On the agenda:
- A) The purchase of new operating software
- B) The hiring a doctor who is highly credentialed
- C) The acquisition of land where you will build a satellite location
- D) Terminating your relationship with a major insurance carrier
Each of the items have pros and cons but would arguably make the hospital more money in the short-term. However, to ensure long-term growth these decisions must be vetted against your brand position.
If we do A will it make healthcare easy? If we do B will it make healthcare easy? And so on. If the answer is no, the decision is simple.
Regardless of what your brand position is (modern, inexpensive, nimble, experienced, etc.) your company must live up to that in your target’s mind. If there is a disconnect between what you claim to be and what you actually are, it will eventually become obvious and profits will suffer.
Let you brand be your guide.
