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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

What brand success will do for you

A senior Coca-Cola executive once said “If Coca-Cola were to lose all of its production-related assets in a disaster, the company would survive. By contrast, if all consumers were to have a sudden lapse of memory and forget everything related to Coca-Cola, the company would go out of business.” Why? Because a brand is much more than just a logo.

A senior Coca-Cola executive once said “If Coca-Cola were to lose all of its production-related assets in a disaster, the company would survive. By contrast, if all consumers were to have a sudden lapse of memory and forget everything related to Coca-Cola, the company would go out of business.” Why? Because a brand is much more than just a logo.

A brand is a set of associations that people make with your business, services and employees. In order to survive in the increasingly competitive recruitment sector, a brand should be looked at as a carefully managed, important intangible asset. Not all recruiters are aware of this, so there is an opportunity for the enlightened amongst you to achieve real impact. The challenge is to move beyond the graphics and develop the right associations that present you as distinctive, trusted, exciting, reliable or whichever attributes you wish to portray.

So what are the benefits of a successful brand?

A strong brand will:

  • Attract the best in talent. Good candidates know their own worth and look for a job with a company that offers room to grow and is respected by their peers. A strong brand plays an important role in attracting top talent as it captures what a business stands for, what it’s like to work for this company and why potential recruits should pursue this opportunity over others. It’s a powerful talent attraction tool that will help you tap into new candidate markets, retain staff, boost response rates and reduce hiring spend.
  • Empower your consultants and give them a common goal to achieve. In industries with a strong client-service component it’s vital that everyone involved with the brand understands and embodies its values. Within a company with a well-managed brand everyone will be saying the same thing: the words you want associated with your brand. Effective internal brand engagement efforts also result in higher job satisfaction, improved morale, lower staff turnover and enhanced productivity.
  • Make it easier to convert new clients. Without a strong brand, you have to build the case for your company for every new client win. A well-managed, successful brand hardly needs introducing. Within your target market, people will already have associations and will be familiar with your company, its personality and services, based on what they’ve seen through marketing communications.
  • Provide a point of difference between similar products and services. A brand is what sets one company apart from another. Especially in a sector where it’s hard to stand out, brands are one of the few opportunities to differentiate your company. The best brands help clients to choose one reputable business amidst a sea of others who may be offering the exact same products or services.
  • Ensure a lasting client relationship based on trust. Clients will be more likely to trust a company with a good brand reputation and to forgive the odd failure or mistake. They are loyal to the brand and would actively seek it despite other reasonable and cheaper options available, resulting in a higher client retention rate. A relationship based on brand trust will also result in clients being more receptive to other services the company has to offer.
  • Increase the ability to command a premium, giving the perception of quality and credibility. Businesses with strong, differentiated brands are less susceptible to price cuts as clients tend to seek them out for reasons other than cost, meaning successful brands can charge higher fees.
  • Provide a consistent starting point for all materials. Brand consistency has a big impact on the identity of a company. Consistent branding across all touch points increases brand awareness and recognition. It establishes a mental connection between a company and its prospects. Every time clients and prospects see your branding, be it your website, your Twitter page or business card, they will recognise your company’s brand. Studies have shown that people tend to choose a name they know or recognise. 
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Whilst branding is not the be all and end all of a successful business strategy, if you get it right all other aspects of the marketing mix are likely to fall into place. There is a lot you can do to make your brand work harder for your company. Why not start today and let me know about the positive changes you experience? I look forward to hearing your brand success stories!

Nick Farrar is director at design & brand management agency Workbrands, based in Bristol, UK. Workbrands helps recruitment companies outperform their competitors through its online brand management solution Flex.

Contact: nickfarrar@workbrands.co.uk  Website: www.wbflex.co.uk