We also recommend a quarterly brand lift study to demonstrate marketing and PR efforts are measurable. Affordable options include ad channels like Meta, LinkedIn, Google and new AI tools like Bera and Sisense.
Defining your KPIs helps set marketing goals in stone and increases the chances of long-term adoption. That lasting influence means your imprint will still be visible years down the line.
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Collaborate meaningfully to future-proof the brand’s identity
So often, CMOs try to carry the brand solely on their shoulders. But a brand made up of a single voice is inauthentic and short-lived. After all, what makes a brand but the people who bring it to life every day?
Brand building requires the input of every department, especially the C-suite. Without its involvement, brand representation lacks consistency, gets tweaked to death and eventually dies on the vine.
While demanding an all-hands brand-building meeting can be intimidating, the results are worthwhile. We’ve found it best to give people something to react to and offer a sharing protocol to ensure folks feel safe.
For example, present the team with a positioning statement and ask small groups to workshop the language. You have the final say as the leader, but letting others participate will result in greater support and adoption. You’ll benefit from faster, easier approvals and the brand lift inherent in everyone using the same playbook.
A safe, workshop-like environment allows brand building to become a true conversation with diverse perspectives. We like to think of it as business therapy. As a CMO, you’ll be credited for getting investment from employees at different levels, making it more likely for your hard work to last beyond your tenure.
Bring brand values into the workday, every day
Brand building doesn’t just bring in customers; it helps maintain team cohesion.
With a clear mission and vision, people are more engaged at work. This couldn’t be a more important time—1-in-2 employees feel disengaged from their jobs. Consider as well that 82% of employees believe it’s important their company has a purpose, and for 70% of Gen Z, the purpose is more important than pay.
Brand values give people something to believe in, which leads to happier and more fulfilled employees. When this happens, the whole ship runs smoother.
So ask yourself if your employees are being praised publicly, and with genuine examples, when they embody brand values. Additionally, short-term pro-bono projects can offer opportunities to enact brand values. Not only do they stimulate engagement and professional development, but they also build your brand internally and externally.
