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CoherentCreativ
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So… Brand Authenticity… It’s one area where being a small business is a definite advantage over a huge monolithic one. The phrase “small enough to care, big enough to cope” springs to mind straight away!


Smaller businesses can be a lot more focused on their individual customers. While it IS often about service and care, it can also be about telling an authentic story about your company. One which resonates with your customers.

I think that it comes down to a simple concept. Honesty.
I'm going to kick it off by asking a bunch of questions…

Why are are you doing what you're doing?
What's so different about your company, product or service?
What's your brand story?
If you're a startup, what made you start your own business what did you do before, and what led you to do what you're doing now?
If your company has been around for a while – what's the history? How does that inform what you do today?

 

Answer these questions and you'll start to get a handle on what's at the heart of your brand. You start to develop a brand story… it can be a simplified version of the whole story – and one that designed to appeal to your customers – but it MUST have honesty at its core.
Be true to yourself, and your customers. What does that mean in practice?
Well, if you're a restaurant use the appropriate ingredients.
If you're selling 'eco' services – walk the walk – be 'green' every step of the way. From where you get your energy to the stock you print your business cards on. If you sell retro rock'n'roll gear, use the right language and imagery.

Once you've got your story right, it's about being consistent in how you tell that story – consciously and unconsciously every time you interact with your customer. Get your visual identity right, and you well on track to getting your brand right. This may all sound complicated, but really it's not.

 

As a small business, you always want to appear professional – but sometimes an element of the 'crafted' or 'homemade' can have more appeal – and more authenticity than "the big boys". It's how you differentiate yourself in the marketplace.

On a side note, Brand authenticity is not always about outstanding customer service – there’s a pub in London’s Soho district, The Coach & Horses, that was always frequented by some very colourful characters; actors, writers and assorted creative folk. But it was most famous for its landlord, Norman, who was purported to be “England’s Rudest Landlord”. On the couple of occasions I encountered him, the experience was definitely “authentic”! The pub was clever enough to capitalise on it, and the unofficial name for the pub became “Norman’s” which was even written on the signage. Funnily enough, there was a Chinese Restaurant around the corner with famously rude waiters – and people flocked to both places to be insulted! Please use this approach to authenticity with caution!

 

I've rambled on a bit – but "Brand Authenticity" can be summed up in a quote "Be yourself – everyone else is taken". You may have to work out who 'you' are. But once you have, communicate that consistently, coherently and with clarity. Works for life as well as business!

If any of this resonates with you, and you think I may be able to help your business communicate coherently, please drop me a line!

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