Branding and Family Dynamics

To successfully develop a strong brand across a large company, you must concentrate first on the internal dynamics that give rise to the brand. Think of your company as a family. We all have members who are different, cranky and maybe even weird. But we need to bring everyone into the fold and build each other up. That's what creating a strong central brand is all about.

How can you do it? Approach branding as if you're organizing a family reunion.

1. Decide which family members you want to invite into the planning process.

2. Plan what you want to do to bring everyone together (figuratively and possibly literally) and estimate how much it will cost.

3. Talk to all a wide cross-section of family members; learn all you can about them.

4. Figure out how everyone is related and what they all have in common.

5. Distill out a clear description of what makes them special or unique as a family.

6. Express this unique attribute clearly and decide how you'll share your discovery.

7. Get the family's leaders together, address expectations, smooth out differences and make final decisions.

8. Prepare communications to the family and invite them to a big celebration about who you are and what you do.

9. Hold the big event and excite everyone enough to brag about the unique attribute that makes the family special. 

10. Keep sharing experiences that prove it and keep on celebrating.

This process will ensure that your brand is alive and full of energy BEFORE you invest in marketing communications to support it.