Think your employees have nothing to do with your brand’s potential? Think again.

Having a solid, happy work culture is the smartest foundation to start with when you’re launching or remaking your brand. Consider successful start-ups owned by employees, or big-name businesses that put their employee happiness as a priority. Company culture is important, and with the right amount of inclusion and interaction, employees will be eager to represent the company brand. So, if you’re in the midst of inventing or reinventing your business identity, here are a few ways to get your team behind the brand.

 

 

1. Be inclusive from the start.

You have a built-in focus group that can help you shape the company brand from the beginning of the process and on. Keeping the staff in the loop (and asking for their input) gives them a sense of pride in the process. From logo design to communication tone to identifying your true demographic buckets—get input, suggestions, and feedback. Encourage honest opinions and cultivate creative evolution. And if your internal team is taking part in the creation of the brand, be sure that credit is given where due.

 

2. Environment is everything.

Is the brand reflected in your office? Does the personality of your brand jive with the internal personality of your culture? If your brand doesn’t carry over to all parts of the company, the inauthenticity will impact your employees’ morale—and your brand’s power. Create excitement on your team by letting the brand become part of the culture. Create brand merchandise that’s just for the team. Feature the brand in creative visual ways around the office. And again, keep the team involved…ask for ideas on how to incorporate the brand into office culture using fun, innovative tactics that keep that excitement going.

 

3. Be the brand you wish to be.

Companies that are focused on their customers at the expense of their employees often have brand weaknesses. If the heart and mission of your company is being projected by the brand, it needs to be backed up by your homebase. Having a cool brand or a noble cause is great, but is it showing up in the workplace, too? Shiny logos and sweet websites aren’t enough…your brand needs to be run on core company values…and they need to be practiced by everyone on board. The richer your company culture, the brighter the brand.

 

4. Loyal employees are ideal brand ambassadors.

Don’t underestimate the power of loyalty. When your employees feel like they are part of something, and that their contributions are encouraged and acknowledged, they are your best word of mouth. Depending on your particular business, employees can even be the brand voice at public gatherings, through social media platforms, via blog posts, and at company events like trade shows and open houses.

 

5. Keep the brand ball rolling.

You don’t want the company brand to go stale. Keeping things interesting without reinventing (creative evolution) lets your brand maintain a presence while staying on trend. Consider appointing a team of internal employees as your brand team. They should come from diverse departments to offer well-rounded perspectives. They can bring ideas to the table about maintaining brand relevance, changes in demographics, potential ways to get the brand into new spaces, and more. Your brand, like your business, should be in a flexible state, to allow for maximum growth with minimal issues.

 

Are you exploring the idea of a brand refresh? Or are you trying to find the voice of your new business? Get in touch with the team at Think Baseline and we can talk about what you’re looking for in a brand partner.