Three essential business branding lessons from nonprofits

I recently attended a conference for a nonprofit organization, and the theme for the weekend was telling our stories.  What did this collaborative mean to us?  What should it mean to our audience, to our world?  Through the sharing of our stories, we added meaning, promise, and personality to the established logo and tag line. We were building our brand.  I walked away from the weekend with not only a clearer picture of what it means to be a part of that particular organization, but also the discovery that business branding can learn a lot from nonprofits like this one.  The emphases placed on identity, alignment, and relationships in nonprofits worldwide can expand your business’s brand in powerful new ways.

Identity

The same questions we asked at the conference can help you develop your corporate identity, the starting point of all business branding.  What does the company mean to you?  As you answer this question, you begin to isolate what it is that makes your business unique.

Of course, if you’re anything like we were at the conference, these answers might start out as heartwarming or inspiring stories which, though informative, are difficult to remember, never mind put on a webpage banner.  You need to find a way to convey your corporate identity in a bold, concise way that has all the power of those stories with none of the distraction.  The brand you develop becomes a compelling representation that is easily summarized, shared, and shows clients new and old what it means to be a part of your business.

Alignment

Just like your business, a nonprofit is made up of a lot working parts. You know exactly how they all fit together, ultimately working towards your company’s mission, but is your whole team on the same page?  How would employees throughout your company describe your mission or identity?  Bringing everyone into alignment is essential to good business branding.

When your team knows the promises you’ve made to customers and can take part in promoting your corporate identity in all aspects of the job, your brand is transformed into something three-dimensional.  Instead of just being a promise on the surface, your clients are reminded of your brand and what it means at every level of interaction.

Relationships

Of course, business branding isn’t all about you.  The outward focus of many nonprofits is a great reminder to direct as much or more attention to that second question: what does your company mean to your clients, to their world?  Beyond just products and services, what are you offering your customers?  Focus on who your clients want to be—whether that is adventurous, healthy, or financially stable—and how your business will help them get there.  You don’t just offer a transaction, but a relationship that will help clients enter into the life they have imagined for themselves.  What can be more powerful than that?

With these three essential lessons as a starting place, your business, whether for profit or not, can make powerful changes in the marketplace.  For more information about how Farotech can help, contact us today for a free consultation!

 

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