Your People Are Your Brand

As a graphic designer and marketing specialist, I'm often approached by clients who ask me to establish, revamp and expand their existing brand presence. To that end, there’s certainly a lot I can do for them. I can devise memorable advertising campaigns, create spiffy logos and visuals, write catchy copy, create social media buzz - and much more. For all that I can offer though, there’s one essential aspect of brand management to which I have little (if any) degree of influence.

I’m speaking of the people who work for you. People, more-so than your logo, the name of your company and scale of your advertising commitment, are the face of your company – your brand!

A client of mine, a restaurant owner, has been able to grow his business simply by investing in the people who work for him. He pays them more than the going rate, but it’s not just the money. From the cooks to the servers, everyone is made to feel part of a family. Staff are routinely consulted on a wide variety of subjects that frequently come to fruition in the form of new menu items and service improvements. Rick’s employees are made to feel as if they have a personal stake in the business’ success, and as a result work smarter and always have a smile on their face. Think his patrons don’t notice? Sure they do – many going so far as to post their experiences on Facebook and Twitter! I'd like to take credit for some of his success, but truthfully, he's doing more to help his own cause by just being a great boss.

From a consumer perspective, I’m a frequent shopper at Steve’s Music Store in Ottawa, Canada – have been for years in fact! What keeps me coming back? It’s not “Steve”, I can assure you of that. Heck, I don’t know who “Steve” is, or even if “Steve” really exists for that matter, but what I do know is that when I go to Steve’s Music Store, I have no trouble finding friendly familiar faces to serve me. They're knowledgeable, yet never pushy. Salespeople they may be, but I always feel like I’m among friends. To me, Steve’s sterling brand is a direct result of my always positive experiences with their staff. I'm not alone in this view.

For many consumers, perception of a brand isn’t defined by a company’s logo or name, but by its reputation. And a company’s reputation, is forged by the relationship consumers have, not just with products and services, but with the people who represent the face of the company.

Next time you find yourself needing to address a branding issue, look first to the people who work for you. They are the biggest brand asset any company can ever hope to have!