TOP 10 TIPS for a successful branding project Here are our top ten tips to help prepare for a successful branding project. It doesn’t matter where you start your journey. Its where you go that’s important. Nobody seems to explain what the stages of branding are or how to prepare, because it demands so many different skill sets to complete successfully. It can also be confusing if you listen to some practitioners who like to make it appear more complicated. It isn’t. Discover some of the many marketing and business challenges that our brand tool can help you to overcome. Appoint a specialist Select the right branding consultant or agency partner because you’re going to need specialist expertise to guide you on your journey. Make sure they have the relevant skills and experience. Do they have a tried and tested creative process? Do you think they have the ability to challenge you, guide you and listen to you when needed? Are they able to work collaboratively with you? You’ll achieve a better, more robust result with this type of relationship because it will complement the skills and experience of the individuals you’ve enlisted internally. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make because the difference in the results you can expect from working with the best people - and the rest - could be the difference between success and failure. Write a clear brief Provide all the relevant background information to your market, competitors (including any research findings), the project objectives, an indication of budget, any constraints, the timeframe, the approval process and when a response is required. Set your target for success What are the deliverables? This should correspond with what you need the project to do for your organisation. How are you going to measure whether you’ve been successful? You can use numbers, or specific qualitative targets or goals. Share these with your agency so they’re clear about what the objectives are, and they’ll rise to the challenge with their proposed creative solution, giving you something solid to judge it against. Engage decision makers Engage all key people throughout the entire process. This is especially important when agreeing the positioning for your brand. If everyone is not in agreement with the new proposed position, you’ll never agree on the creative solution to achieve it. You’ll also need their support and a united front when you introduce your brand to others in your organisation. I appreciate that it isn’t possible to include everybody all of the time and you’ll have to decide when and how to involve them. Ensure all on board Make sure everyone is ‘on board’ at the right time in your timeframe. The people in your organisation can make or break your brand so this is an important point. You need to let them know precisely how to personify your brand and any other ways you expect them to help you. Fix date for launch Organise a launch event to celebrate and communicate your new or refreshed brand. Set a date and stick to it. The event doesn’t need to be large but do organise a venue that reflects your brand’s personality - and send out invitations. Having a date ‘set in stone’ helps focus minds on a point in time and reduces procrastination and indecision. Do what you say Do what you say you’re going to - when you say you’re going to do it. It can be difficult to get everyone on board, to get decisions and feedback on time and to gain consensus, especially with a large group of people. But it’s essential to keep the process on schedule as procrastination can seriously disrupt the whole process. Make sure you factor in reasonable time for discussion and debate as this will give you a chance to iron out any differences in the time available. Clear prompt feedback Be clear, prompt and honest with feedback to your agency partner. Everyone in the team needs to be clear on what they’re doing, when they need to do it and to provide prompt feedback within the agreed timeframe. Otherwise you’ll be at risk of going round in ever decreasing circles which burns up time and money very quickly. Be brave to be different The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in my experience meek brands are never successful. You have to be brave to be different - to stand out and be noticed. When I say brave, I don’t mean reckless. If you work in a large organisation you may be thinking this is easier said than done. Well it is - but it shouldn’t stop you doing it. Too many organisations find it easier and safer to blend in with their competitors because they feel clients are all looking for the same sort of service provider. This is a flawed strategy because their clients will find it difficult to pick them out. Differentiation is what they need. Launching is not the end Keep your brand moving forward on a continuous basis after the launch. Remember the launch date is a significant milestone on your journey, not the end of the branding process. It’s tempting to launch, then sit back and congratulate yourself, but this is dangerous territory. Once you’ve introduced your brand to your own people and clients you need to develop and commit to a plan that keeps your brand in front of them on a continuous basis.

CAPS TITLE CAPS TITLE CAPS TITLE Heading 3 SELECTING THE BEST BRAND management tool Managing a service-based company? Looking for a strategic brand management tool to help you overcome your marketing challenges, and grow sustainably? ​ continuous branding Craig proposes a five steps path to harnessing the power of ‘Continuous Branding’. Whatever stage you’re at, you’ll discover answers to your branding questions in Craig’s ‘Continuous Branding’ book. If you don’t, get in touch and ask away. We’re here to help. brandin g advice By doing some networking and researching, you’ve probably got a few ideas about branding and rebranding; but you haven’t settled on a clear way forward for your brand yet. Branding and rebranding can seem complex and uncertain. Among a million branding and marketing experts, who do you listen to and why? Will your rebrand pay off anyway? Your five steps BELOW To a fitter, stronger and more prosperous future. Read more 1. List your branding challenges Make a list of all the marketing and branding challenges you face. Read more 2. Understand your branding options Understand all your branding options. Ask yourself why you are rebranding, if you are. Read more 3. Find a branding solution Find the best branding solution to help you to grow consistently and sustainably. Read more 4. Ask branding questions Ask questions about our branding tool so you understand how it works, how others have used it, and what it achieves. Read more 5. Get branding! Branding Specialist Craig Thatcher will show you how to harness the power of Continuous Branding, and guide you to success.

overcome YOUR MARKETING CHALLENGES WITH THE CONTINUOUS BRANDING TOOL A brand management solution for services-based organisations ambitious to grow consistently and sustainably. We designed the Continuous Branding tool to help you overcome your biggest branding and marketing challenges. proven with excellenT results Rapport Guest Services grew by 20% per annum for nearly a decade by using Continuous Branding. The business evolved into a market leading and award-winning company. Read the story of the early years in chapter eight of the Continuous Branding book. 20% some of the challenges we can help you smash Ambitious for growth? Fancy flying high? Need some help to rebrand your company? But not quite sure where to start? Help is at hand. Read more Are you at a business cross roads now? Overcome all your signifiant challenges with this brand tool for service-based organisations and look forward to a prosperous future. Read more Are you making significant changes to your business model? Have you developed a new value proposition and now you and your team need to pull together to communicate it clearly. Read more Are your client relationships too transactional and too fragile? Communicate the change in your client relationships to collaborative partnerships for greater reward. Read more Going for brand leadership? If you're ambitious for the future success of your company, aspire to be a market leader or regain lost leadership, then read more. Read more Markets changing fast? Competitors more aggressive? Ready to reposition your company? Use branding strategically and your ideal clients will find you. Read more Need a brand tool that works? We have a simple brand management tool available in ebook, audiobook and paperback. With coaching and workshops for support. Read more Pivoting out of the pandemic? Discover the best rebranding strategy that adds most value to your company. Read more Struggling how to market and brand your new services? If you have developed new services to exploit new opportunities then service branding makes the intangible tangible. Read more Want to increase the value of your company in the next five years? If you have or are changing business strategy then discover how you can make sure you make the most of it. Read more Thinking differently "Company size no longer matters. Only excellent service does." Craig Thatcher #ContinuousBranding Of companies that listed their brand values on their websites, each included ‘trust’, ‘honesty’, ‘integrity’ and ‘ethical’. It’s pointless to list these qualities because everyone does! In fact listing them can suspend disbelief and inspire scepticism. If you say you’re honest, you may not be, and if you’re not, you’re certainly not if you say you are. distinct brand values are critical why do some companies grow more than others? Because their leaders think like brand owners and build the companies and their brands consistently. Not in fits and starts. Companies that use design as an integral part of their strategy to solve customer problems reap the biggest rewards over those that use design as a process, or only for styling or don’t use design at all. Design Ladder developed by the Danish Design Centre, 2003 impressive return on investment Warwick Business School interviewed 48 leaders of world class companies and found the use of design was strongest with senior management support. It transforms the way organisations think and work and adds value to companies of any size. Eden Partners: Evaluating Designing Demand 2012 and Centrifuge: Evaluation of Public Services by Design 2010 RIGHT at the heart Put Continuous Branding at the heart of everything you do and you'll communicate your strategy to your clients, your people and your suppliers in an exciting and engaging way. A commonality I saw five key principles and branding practices that our best performing clients have in common with the most successful brands. The main difference between the best performing brands and the rest is that the best brands follow all five principles all the time - not some of them some of the time. follow all these principles, all of the time See what others say “I liked the book: a good and worthwhile read. It opened my eyes to the wider aspects of branding which I hadn't given consideration to before.” Jonathan Ross Recruitment Consultant and Solopreneur Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

KEY POINTS FROM the CONTINUOUS BRANDING BOOK Here are the key points from each of the chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Ideal for service-based organisations ambitious to grow. Key points from the chapter Why branding is vital Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not – the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Key points from the chapter Find your tail wind Recognise the feeling of a ‘head wind’ slowing you down, because Continuous Branding is like a ‘tail wind’, making progress a lot easier. There is considerable evidence for design acting as a strategic motor for growth and innovation. Design is more than merely styling. Organisations can incorporate it into their own particular way of doing things. Awareness of the strategic importance of using design in both the private and public sectors across the European Union is growing through better design management. Servicing the wrong clients will drain your resources. Your brand only needs to be relevant to clients that are an ideal match. Don’t bother with the others, let your competitors struggle with them. Key points from the chapter Preparing for the future Explain why you do what you do, then develop and share your point of view to make it easier for clients to choose your brand. Having a point of view increases or creates demand for a service, and brands without one will always be followers not leaders. Create services that are useful, helpful and relevant to your ideal type of client to save them time and make their lives simpler. Agility, flexibility and informality are prized attributes for all service brands as the world speeds up around us. Re-think and re-organise the way your people work together and with third party agencies and suppliers to help you provide a better brand experience. A company’s size no longer matters as much as quality of service. There is a premium to be enjoyed by keeping things simple. Key points from the chapter Think of a brand as a person People relate to service brands like their other personal relationships, using all their senses to set their expectation before actually experiencing the service itself. People with the right attitude and approach will personify your brand. Give them authority and discretion to flex their appearance, behaviour and communication depending on the particular situation in hand. If you have more than one service brand within your portfolio, make sure that the skills, experience and personalities enable each of them to compete strongly in their respective markets, and not with each other. Proactively manage the relationship between your service brand or brands and the personal brands of the key people that work for them. Key points from the chapter Your service brand is great People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people. Actually, from experts they like - so don’t hide yours away. They are your only real point of difference, so make the most of them. Spend time talking to your people about your brand, what it means to clients and why you do the things the way you do. To personify your brand, make your people feel valued, important and cared for and you’ll bring out the best performance in them. To outshine your competitors, provide personalised experiences for your clients that they’ll find memorable and will want to share with others. Small shifts in behaviour can lead to bigger shifts in thinking and a dramatic effect on your clients’ experiences of your brand. Key points from the chapter A strategic tool for growth Successful organisations recognise that branding and design are essential components for growth and innovation regardless of their size. Service still tends to be under valued as a key differentiator by many organisations. My most successful clients share a common pattern in terms of their thinking, behaviour and communication that helps explain why the best of them grow consistently, whilst others do not. This is mirrored in successful world-class organisations. I wanted to develop an easy way to explain how service brands grow by linking an organisation’s strategy to its clients, its leader and its people as well as its suppliers - in a way that everyone can understand and support. My aim is to share this in a form that you can adapt for your own advantage, first by thinking differently and then looking at your specific circumstances from a new perspective. Then introduce changes that make a fundamental difference over the long term. Key points from the chapter Five principles of Continuous Branding Continuous Branding is made up of five principles and is for anyone running or marketing a service-based organisation and building their brand through their people. Use Continuous Branding strategically, by putting the principles at the heart of everything you do for greater brand performance and success with more consistent and sustainable growth. Motivating your people to personify your brand is both challenging and rewarding and Continuous Branding can help you with it. Key points from the chapter Building Rapport Guest Services Greg understands the power of Continuous Branding by linking it to his strategy and his people, and putting the five principles at the heart of everything he does. Principle 1: Greg thinks like a brand owner by continually building the value of Rapport through excellent service and growing the company at the same time. Clients want to appoint Rapport because they’re the best in the market and to experience their unique brand of hospitality. Principle 2: Greg leads from a powerful market position because he understands that his clients crave an intuitive service, one that anticipates needs, that saves time and makes their guests feel welcome and relaxed. This is conveyed through the Rapport website, driving home its market position and continually reinforcing it with ‘industry firsts’ like National Telephonists’ Day to celebrate the role of professional telephone operators. Principle 3: Greg and Rapport have an engaging point of view. With his five-star hotel experience, he has a crystal clear idea of how clients and their guests should be looked after. Although, his real gift is his ability to inspire his people to personify the Rapport brand by thinking and behaving like him. He is always telling stories about his wonderful Rapport Ambassadors and the annual Excellence Awards are recognition, celebration and reward for the most outstanding examples of service. Principle 4: Greg personalises the Rapport brand experience for clients and guests. This makes them feel important, valued and good about themselves. It comes from empowering his Rapport Ambassadors to take control of situations that are ‘out of the ordinary’ and trusting them to do the right thing. This personalisation is powerful and extremely difficult for competitors to replicate. Principle 5: Greg invests continuously to grow consistently. He knows that the minute he stops investing will be the minute Rapport stops growing. This is what drives him on to win new contracts and prestigious awards for service and excellence in workplace engagement whilst still growing the Rapport brand at more than 20% per annum. Key points from the chapter Your branding journey begins here Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not - the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter Your service brand is great People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people. Actually, from experts they like - so don’t hide yours away. They are your only real point of difference, so make the most of them. Spend time talking to your people about your brand, what it means to clients and why you do the things the way you do. To personify your brand, make your people feel valued, important and cared for and you’ll bring out the best performance in them. To outshine your competitors, provide personalised experiences for your clients that they’ll find memorable and will want to share with others. Small shifts in behaviour can lead to bigger shifts in thinking and a dramatic effect on your clients’ experiences of your brand. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Clear prompt feedback Be clear, prompt and honest with feedback to your agency partner. Everyone in the team needs to be clear on what they’re doing, when they need to do it and to provide prompt feedback within the agreed timeframe. Otherwise you’ll be at risk of going round in ever decreasing circles which burns up time and money very quickly.

Key points from the chapter A strategic tool for growth Successful organisations recognise that branding and design are essential components for growth and innovation regardless of their size. Service still tends to be under valued as a key differentiator by many organisations. My most successful clients share a common pattern in terms of their thinking, behaviour and communication that helps explain why the best of them grow consistently, whilst others do not. This is mirrored in successful world-class organisations. I wanted to develop an easy way to explain how service brands grow by linking an organisation’s strategy to its clients, its leader and its people as well as its suppliers - in a way that everyone can understand and support. My aim is to share this in a form that you can adapt for your own advantage, first by thinking differently and then looking at your specific circumstances from a new perspective. Then introduce changes that make a fundamental difference over the long term. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Are you making significant changes to your business model? Have you developed a new value proposition and now you and your team need to pull together to communicate it clearly. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Ensure all on board Make sure everyone is ‘on board’ at the right time in your timeframe. The people in your organisation can make or break your brand so this is an important point. You need to let them know precisely how to personify your brand and any other ways you expect them to help you.

Previous step Next step All steps 5. Get branding! 5. Get branding! You want to brand strategically. But you’ll need to know how before starting your own branding journey. Would you like to harness the power of Continuous Branding? Do you know what the key stages of the branding process are, and what happens in each of them? To get going, you’re going to need support from an expert Branding Specialist. Key stages in the Continuous Branding process: 1. Gain Insights 2. Strategy and Positioning your Brand 3. Developing your Brand Story and Point of View 4. Naming your Brand 5. Creating your Brand Identity and Experience 6. Marketing Communications 7. Engaging your People 8. Helping Everyone Find your Brand 9. Adopting Continuous Branding Would you like to know Branding Specialist Craig Thatcher’s top ten tips for undertaking a successful branding project? Please click on the link: https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/continuous-branding-top-tips-10 If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read this chapter from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 9: Your Branding Journey Begins Here Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Engage decision makers Engage all key people throughout the entire process. This is especially important when agreeing the positioning for your brand. If everyone is not in agreement with the new proposed position, you’ll never agree on the creative solution to achieve it. You’ll also need their support and a united front when you introduce your brand to others in your organisation. I appreciate that it isn’t possible to include everybody all of the time and you’ll have to decide when and how to involve them.

< Back Need a brand tool that works? We have a simple brand management tool available in ebook, audiobook and paperback. With coaching and workshops for support. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous step Next step All steps 1. List your branding challenges 1. List your branding challenges When branding and marketing, what’s holding you back? Is your service-based company or brand not growing as fast or as sustainably as you would like? Are you finding if tough to recruit and retain key people? Do you feel that you have a great company but struggling to motivate your people to build your brand? Are you finding it difficult to engage your clients, customers and your people? Do your colleagues understand what your brand means to them and the value it gives your clients? Does your company really stand out in your market? Are you considering rebranding your company and worried about the time and costs involved? Are competitors stealing market share or growing faster than your company? Are there more and more new ones entering your market? Are your margins under increasing pressure? Do you feel like your company or brand is sailing into a head wind? Are you fed-up with rebranding every few years? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them with rebranding their organisations. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 1: Why Branding is Vital Chapter 2: Find your Tail Wind Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

< Back Markets changing fast? Competitors more aggressive? Ready to reposition your company? Use branding strategically and your ideal clients will find you. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Be brave to be different The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in my experience meek brands are never successful. You have to be brave to be different - to stand out and be noticed. When I say brave, I don’t mean reckless. If you work in a large organisation you may be thinking this is easier said than done. Well it is - but it shouldn’t stop you doing it. Too many organisations find it easier and safer to blend in with their competitors because they feel clients are all looking for the same sort of service provider. This is a flawed strategy because their clients will find it difficult to pick them out. Differentiation is what they need.

Previous step Next step All steps 4. Ask branding questions 4. Ask branding questions The Continuous Branding tool could work for you. But you need to know how well it applies to your specific branding and marketing circumstances before deciding to use it or not, right? You need to know if it has worked as a branding tool for anybody else, and what was achieved, in what time frame. Finding it hard to grow your brand? Want to improve your brand’s performance? Put the five principles of the Continuous Branding at the heart of everything you do for a fitter, stronger and more prosperous future. 1. Think like a Brand Owner 2. Lead your Market from a Powerful Position 3. Have a Point of View and Tell Stories 4. Personalise your brand experience 5. Invest continuously to grow consistently The Continuous Branding tool is for ambitious leaders of service-based organisations who want to grow consistently and sustainably, and who are looking for a successful, strategic solution. It isn’t a quick fix. It’s a long-term marketing and branding solution. You can expect great results from the Continuous Branding tool if you follow all the principles all the time. Not some of them some of the time. Rapport Guest Services grew by 20% per annum for nearly a decade. It evolved into a market leading, award winning company by using the Continuous Branding tool. Read the story of the company’s early years in chapter eight of the Continuous Branding book. CONTINUOUS BRANDING CASE STUDY https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/post/building-the-rapport-brand BRAND TOOL https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/brand-tool-overcome-challenges If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 7: Five Principles of Continuous Branding Chapter 8: Case Study: Building Rapport Guest Services Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Key points from the chapter Think of a brand as a person People relate to service brands like their other personal relationships, using all their senses to set their expectation before actually experiencing the service itself. People with the right attitude and approach will personify your brand. Give them authority and discretion to flex their appearance, behaviour and communication depending on the particular situation in hand. If you have more than one service brand within your portfolio, make sure that the skills, experience and personalities enable each of them to compete strongly in their respective markets, and not with each other. Proactively manage the relationship between your service brand or brands and the personal brands of the key people that work for them. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Pivoting out of the pandemic? Discover the best rebranding strategy that adds most value to your company. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

< Back Are you at a business cross roads now? Overcome all your signifiant challenges with this brand tool for service-based organisations and look forward to a prosperous future. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Key points from the chapter Preparing for the future Explain why you do what you do, then develop and share your point of view to make it easier for clients to choose your brand. Having a point of view increases or creates demand for a service, and brands without one will always be followers not leaders. Create services that are useful, helpful and relevant to your ideal type of client to save them time and make their lives simpler. Agility, flexibility and informality are prized attributes for all service brands as the world speeds up around us. Re-think and re-organise the way your people work together and with third party agencies and suppliers to help you provide a better brand experience. A company’s size no longer matters as much as quality of service. There is a premium to be enjoyed by keeping things simple. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter Your branding journey begins here Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not - the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Going for brand leadership? If you're ambitious for the future success of your company, aspire to be a market leader or regain lost leadership, then read more. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

< Back Struggling how to market and brand your new services? If you have developed new services to exploit new opportunities then service branding makes the intangible tangible. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Do what you say Do what you say you’re going to - when you say you’re going to do it. It can be difficult to get everyone on board, to get decisions and feedback on time and to gain consensus, especially with a large group of people. But it’s essential to keep the process on schedule as procrastination can seriously disrupt the whole process. Make sure you factor in reasonable time for discussion and debate as this will give you a chance to iron out any differences in the time available.

Key points from the chapter Why branding is vital Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not – the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter Five principles of Continuous Branding Continuous Branding is made up of five principles and is for anyone running or marketing a service-based organisation and building their brand through their people. Use Continuous Branding strategically, by putting the principles at the heart of everything you do for greater brand performance and success with more consistent and sustainable growth. Motivating your people to personify your brand is both challenging and rewarding and Continuous Branding can help you with it. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Want to increase the value of your company in the next five years? If you have or are changing business strategy then discover how you can make sure you make the most of it. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Set your target for success What are the deliverables? This should correspond with what you need the project to do for your organisation. How are you going to measure whether you’ve been successful? You can use numbers, or specific qualitative targets or goals. Share these with your agency so they’re clear about what the objectives are, and they’ll rise to the challenge with their proposed creative solution, giving you something solid to judge it against.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Appoint a specialist Select the right branding consultant or agency partner because you’re going to need specialist expertise to guide you on your journey. Make sure they have the relevant skills and experience. Do they have a tried and tested creative process? Do you think they have the ability to challenge you, guide you and listen to you when needed? Are they able to work collaboratively with you? You’ll achieve a better, more robust result with this type of relationship because it will complement the skills and experience of the individuals you’ve enlisted internally. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make because the difference in the results you can expect from working with the best people - and the rest - could be the difference between success and failure.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Fix date for launch Organise a launch event to celebrate and communicate your new or refreshed brand. Set a date and stick to it. The event doesn’t need to be large but do organise a venue that reflects your brand’s personality - and send out invitations. Having a date ‘set in stone’ helps focus minds on a point in time and reduces procrastination and indecision.

Key points from the chapter Building Rapport Guest Services Greg understands the power of Continuous Branding by linking it to his strategy and his people, and putting the five principles at the heart of everything he does. Principle 1: Greg thinks like a brand owner by continually building the value of Rapport through excellent service and growing the company at the same time. Clients want to appoint Rapport because they’re the best in the market and to experience their unique brand of hospitality. Principle 2: Greg leads from a powerful market position because he understands that his clients crave an intuitive service, one that anticipates needs, that saves time and makes their guests feel welcome and relaxed. This is conveyed through the Rapport website, driving home its market position and continually reinforcing it with ‘industry firsts’ like National Telephonists’ Day to celebrate the role of professional telephone operators. Principle 3: Greg and Rapport have an engaging point of view. With his five-star hotel experience, he has a crystal clear idea of how clients and their guests should be looked after. Although, his real gift is his ability to inspire his people to personify the Rapport brand by thinking and behaving like him. He is always telling stories about his wonderful Rapport Ambassadors and the annual Excellence Awards are recognition, celebration and reward for the most outstanding examples of service. Principle 4: Greg personalises the Rapport brand experience for clients and guests. This makes them feel important, valued and good about themselves. It comes from empowering his Rapport Ambassadors to take control of situations that are ‘out of the ordinary’ and trusting them to do the right thing. This personalisation is powerful and extremely difficult for competitors to replicate. Principle 5: Greg invests continuously to grow consistently. He knows that the minute he stops investing will be the minute Rapport stops growing. This is what drives him on to win new contracts and prestigious awards for service and excellence in workplace engagement whilst still growing the Rapport brand at more than 20% per annum. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Launching is not the end Keep your brand moving forward on a continuous basis after the launch. Remember the launch date is a significant milestone on your journey, not the end of the branding process. It’s tempting to launch, then sit back and congratulate yourself, but this is dangerous territory. Once you’ve introduced your brand to your own people and clients you need to develop and commit to a plan that keeps your brand in front of them on a continuous basis.

Key points from the chapter Find your tail wind Recognise the feeling of a ‘head wind’ slowing you down, because Continuous Branding is like a ‘tail wind’, making progress a lot easier. There is considerable evidence for design acting as a strategic motor for growth and innovation. Design is more than merely styling. Organisations can incorporate it into their own particular way of doing things. Awareness of the strategic importance of using design in both the private and public sectors across the European Union is growing through better design management. Servicing the wrong clients will drain your resources. Your brand only needs to be relevant to clients that are an ideal match. Don’t bother with the others, let your competitors struggle with them. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Previous step Next step All steps 3. Find a branding solution 3. Find a branding solution Your company or brand is not growing as quickly as you would like it to. You know your company is great, but you don’t know how to motivate your team to build your brand. Find out exactly what sets your brand apart. You’re probably too close to your brand to see it objectively; but your existing clients won’t be: they can give you useful feedback on your brand, as can new clients, prospects, and people not connected with your business. If nothing or little, in truth, differentiates your brand from others, your marketing communications can: the way you speak to people determines the way they see you. Have you explored all other forms of marketing support or corporate branding advice? Have you shortlisted other ways to solve your marketing and/or branding problems? Deep down, are you still ambitious for your organisation? Do you need to manage and engage your people better? You know your service is really good, but how do you make it stand out? How do you move your company from follower to market leader? Finding it hard to grow, or want to improve your performance? You’re not alone! Do you have all the marketing skills and corporate branding experience in-house to move your brand forward? Or do you think you’ll need to collaborate with external experts too? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. My ‘Continuous Branding’ tool helps diverse organisation to grow consistently and sustainably. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 5: Your Service Brand is Great Chapter 6: A Strategic Tool for Growth Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

< Back Ambitious for growth? Fancy flying high? Need some help to rebrand your company? But not quite sure where to start? Help is at hand. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

< Back Are your client relationships too transactional and too fragile? Communicate the change in your client relationships to collaborative partnerships for greater reward. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Write a clear brief Provide all the relevant background information to your market, competitors (including any research findings), the project objectives, an indication of budget, any constraints, the timeframe, the approval process and when a response is required.

Previous step Next step All steps 2. Understand your branding options 2. Understand your branding options What’s holding your marketing or rebranding back? Do you understand all your options for improving your brand? What are your branding objectives - really? Can you really fix your branding issues? Do you really understand what’s possible? Are you open to finding the best way forward? Are some of your clients difficult to work with? Do they drain your resources? Perhaps you need to replace them with new clients that are a better fit for you. But how? Few brands can afford to lose clients. Do you want to lead your market or follow it? Is your business or brand growing more slowly than other brands in your market? Would you like to learn from other successful leaders how service branding can help you grow your company? Are you constantly, proactively improving the quality of your services? Is your service as good as it can be? Is your service consistent? Do you deliver on your brand promises? Do you know what makes your company great, and the best way to communicate this? Do you think you’ve tried every way to grow your brand? Did you re-brand a few years ago, but sales are starting to slow again, yet you still have big plans to grow your company? Maybe you need help repositioning. Many brands do. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 3: Preparing for the Future Chapter 4: Think of a Brand as a Person Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Previous step Next step All steps 5. Get going 5. Get going If you’ve decided to use branding strategically you’ll need to get into the details before starting your own journey. Would you like to discover and harness the power of Continuous Branding? Do you know what the key stages of the branding process are and what happens within each of them? To get going you’re going to need the support from a Branding Specialist. Key stages in the Continuous Branding process. 1. Gain Insights 2. Strategy and Positioning your Brand 3. Developing your Brand Story and Point of View 4. Naming your Brand 5. Creating your Brand Identity and Experience 6. Marketing Communications 7. Engaging your People 8. Helping Everyone Find your Brand 9. Adopting Continuous Branding As your Branding Specialist, would you like to know Craig Thatcher’s/MY top ten tips for undertaking a successful branding project? https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/continuous-branding-top-tips-10 If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from the following chapter from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 9: Your Branding Journey Begins Here

Previous step Next step All steps 2. Understand options 2. Understand options Do you understand all your options for improving your service branding? Have you agreed what your objectives are? Have you already identified some different ways to fix the issues and are working through and understanding all the possibilities? Are you still open to finding the best way forward? Are some of your clients difficult to work with and drain your resources? Perhaps you need to replace them with new clients that are an ‘ideal’ fit for you but are not quite sure how to go about it? Do you want to lead your market rather than follow it? Is your company or brand growing slower than others in your market? Would you like to learn about service branding can help you to grow your company from other successful leaders? Are you proactively improving the quality of your service all of the time? Is the quality of your service really as good as it can be? Is your service always consistent and as promised? Do you know what makes your company great and the best way to communicate this? Do you think you’ve tried all the different ways to grow your brand? Have you re-branded a few years ago and sales are starting to slow again? Yet, do you still have big plans to grow your company? But need help repositioning? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them to improve their service branding. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 3: Preparing for the Future Chapter 4: Think of a Brand as a Person

Previous step Next step All steps 3. Find solution 3. Find solution You have a lot to be positive about but is your company or brand is not growing as quickly as you would like? You know your company is great but how do you motivate your people to build your brand? Uncover precisely what is so distinctive about it and give yourself a competitive advantage. You’re probably just too close to see it, but some of your existing clients do see it and new ones will, if presented clearly enough. Have you explored all other forms of support or corporate branding advice from colleagues and people you know? And shortlisted some alternative ways of solving your problems? Do you have ambitious plans for your organisation and need to engage your people better? You know your service is really good but how do you make it stand out? How do you move your company from being a follower into a leader? Finding it hard to grow or want to improve your performance? Have you worked out whether you have all the skills and corporate branding experience in-house to move you forward? Or do you think you’ll need to collaborate with external experts too? My ‘Continuous Branding’ tool helps organisation of all shapes and sizes to grow consistently and sustainably. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them with their corporate branding. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 5: Your Service Brand is Great Chapter 6: A Strategic Tool for Growth

Previous step Next step All steps 4. Ask questions 4. Ask questions The Continuous Branding tool could be an ideal solution for you, but you need to ask detailed questions about your own specific circumstances and work how to use it, before making a final decision on moving forward. You’ll want to know whether it has worked for anybody else and what results were achieved and in what time frame? Finding it hard to grow or want to improve your performance? Put the five principles of the Continuous Branding tool at the heart of everything you do for a fitter, stronger and more prosperous future. 1. Think like a Brand Owner 2. Lead your Market from a Powerful Position 3. Have a Point of View and Tell Stories 4. Personalise your brand experience 5. Invest continuously to grow consistently This branding tool is for ambitious leaders of service-based organisations who want to grow consistently and sustainably, and who are looking for a successful, strategic solution not a ‘sticking plaster’ quick fix. You can expect great results from the tool if you follow all of the principles, all of the time. Not some of them, some of the time. Rapport Guest Services grew by 20% per annum for nearly a decade, into a market leading and award winning company, using Continuous Branding. Read the story of the early years in chapter eight of the book. CASE STUDY: ON WEBSITE https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/post/building-the-rapport-brand Brand TOOL https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/brand-tool-overcome-challenges If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 7: Five Principles of Continuous Branding Chapter 8: Case Study: Building Rapport Guest Services

Previous step Next step All steps 1. List challenges 1. List challenges Do you know what is holding you back? Is your service-based company or brand not growing as fast or as sustainably as you would like? Are you finding if tough to recruit and retain key people? Do you feel that you have a great company but struggling to motivate your people to build your brand? Are you finding it difficult to engage your clients, customers and your people? Do your colleagues understand what your brand means to them and the value it gives your clients? Does your company really stand out in your market? Are you considering rebranding your company and worried about the time and costs involved? Are competitors stealing market share or growing faster than your company? Are there more and more new ones entering your market? Are your margins under increasing pressure? Do you feel like your company or brand is sailing into a head wind? Are you fed-up with rebranding every few years? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them with rebranding their organisations. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 1: Why Branding is Vital Chapter 2: Find your Tail Wind