I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘You are your brand’.

The phrase explains how integral people are to delivering your product or service – and in doing this, building your brand. Whether you’re a sole trader or a large organisation, the way humans represent your brand says a lot about your brand values.

In this post we’ll dig deeper into what this means and look at ways people can bring your brand to life in everything they do.

Why are You so important to your brand?
Throughout our A-Z of Brand we’ve discussed the importance of giving people a consistent experience each time they interact with you. When you continually demonstrate the reasons why people should choose you, it creates connections and builds long-term relationships.

From answering that first email enquiry to issuing your closing invoice, every transaction should look, sound or feel like your brand. Every interaction with a client, customer or patient should capture the very essence of your brand.

Let’s look at some examples…

You work for a healthcare organisation whose brand is caring and supportive. As a leader, you strive to show empathy and understanding in the way you act and interact with customers and colleagues, and encourage these same behaviours in your team.  

Perhaps you work for a brand that’s more playful (take a look at Oatly, the Swedish food and drink company ). If this is you, you might have a bit of fun in the way you interact with people, like answering the phone in a quirky manner or using a light-hearted tone of voice in your communications. 

In both these examples customers know exactly what to expect from each brand because the people that represent them behave and communicate in a specific way.

It’s the way you make people feel
The best way to bring your brand to life through people is to consider the senses.

See
How do you dress when you go to a business meeting – casual or formal? Does everyone in your business wear clothes that represent your brand?

Look around your office. Does your desk and Zoom background look and feel like your brand? 

Do the people on reception welcome visitors in a consistently warm and friendly way? Are they expected to wear a uniform that’s instantly recognisable as You?

When meeting clients, do you behave in a way that brings your brand values to life?

Hear
Tone of voice is important in written correspondence. From your emails and social posts to proposals and how you respond to complaints, the language you choose and the way you write should follow your brand guidelines. Does every piece of communication you write align with your brand tone of voice?

Then there’s verbal communication, do you answer the telephone and address people in a similar way, whether they’re a colleague or a customer?

Feel
When you are your brand, everything you hand over to customers should exude a certain quality. From the weight of your business card to the paper your proposal is printed on, do you feel happy and confident handing these materials over to customers?

Take your brand to the next level
When everything you do, say and produce looks and feels like your brand, it builds trust. Trust builds brands. And your brand is your reputation.

Representing your brand is a never-ending cycle. But that’s one we’ll save for another day…

If you’d like our expert help to establish or develop your brand, we’d love to help. Get in touch to arrange a chat with one of our team.

Nicki Francomb
Creative Lead