The problem with brand positioning is many perceive market communication as the only way of building it. But that is nowhere near what the truth is! In fact, mass media advertising plays probably 25% role in forming or solidifying brand positioning. The rest comes through brand experience. And brand experience is almost entirely dependent on how your employees behave or react. That’s why a radical way of creating, reinforcing or changing brand position is looking at all aspects of your HR issues. Hire, develop and fire your employees according to your brand values and desired positioning. More emphasis on recruiting. The general criteria of recruiting is quality of the candidate. But very seldom ( in fact, almost never) we really cross-check if the candidate is fit enough to uphold your brand values. And that’s mistake no. 1. So next time, hire properly. Understand what your brand means and understand how your brand experience is shaped by employee behavior. Then find out what is the desired employee behavior that is necessary for your brand’s desired positioning. Then, and only then, find out candidates that can project that desired behavior.
2 comments
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Debasish
October 1, 2007 at 3:50 am
Dear Mr. Amin
Thanks for the nice writing. In one of the articles of this blog some one told CEO should be CBO (Chief Branding Officer). This is some thing like that. I strongly agree with you and want to add if the employees fail to understand the brand positioning, then it is very difficult to establish the brand.
Being brand manager of GP you are lucky in this regards as you have a very strong brand team and other supporting departments are also strong enough to support you.
In limited knowledge I believe brand management is the integration of all the activities of a company that included the recruitment and orientation, socialization and training also.
Internal branding is also very important. When employee of an organization does not believe the brands functionality and does not have faith in the quality of that brand or bare a negative image of that company, there is no way to establish the brand. An employee, a supplier, a trade partner are good brand promoter along with a satisfied customer. With out satisfying internal parties, advertisement and other promotion may go to in vein.
Debasish Shikder
Brand Manager
Olympic Industries Ltd.