Brand Etiquette – Would your business pass the test?
I wish there were a book on brand etiquette (hmmm, maybe I should write one?). What is it? Brand etiquette examines a standard set of assumed and unwritten (until now) behaviors that make business communication and interaction courteous and respectful. Like business etiquette or table etiquette, when the rules are ignored the consequences can be very unfavorable. It seems to me that as businesses grow to a more global scale, and as networking becomes more common and required in doing business, etiquette falls to the wayside. To make sure you don’t break these rules that keep opportunities coming your way, I’d like to highlight four key considerations for your brand.
1) Don’t make unexplained changes. As you build your business and change your identity, make sure to take your customers along with you. If you change something, such as your name, your logo, your website or a key partner, make sure to communicate it on a grand scale by issuing a press release, explaining the transition, reasons why, and what it changes, and offering the added benefits to the new model. I remember last year when the retail chain GAP attempted to change their logo, and as you know, the results were disastrous. They reverted, but without a lot of scrutiny, time and expense.
2) Avoid the new SPAM – Spreading Personal Advertising Messages. I just made that acronym up, but it fits. There’s a lot of spam out there, and many times the spammer doesn’t realize what they’re doing. If you’ve ever added someone to your mailing list without asking them, perhaps because you met them at an event and received their email address, that’s spam. Perhaps you hopped online to their social profile and left a comment about how great they are and how they may be interested in your new product/course/offer and posted a link solely for the purpose of getting the exposure so that their community can see it, that’s spam (disclaimer: when you are actually a regular contributor to these communities and daily offer advice, responses and insight – the relationship isn’t spammy). There’s a respectful way to get visibility and share your voice, and it always involves transparency and honesty. Do that, and the communication is welcomed and not frowned upon.
3) Give Credit and Recognition at all times. Because of the immediacy of social media and online technology, giving credit where credit is due is often lacking. This can manifest as something as simple as providing a photo credit or involve giving credit when there’s a joint venture opportunity (such as in teleclasses, sponsored events or speaking engagements). Brand etiquette dictates that we always give credit where credit is due. Including a small logo, a small mention or a quick note about the person or team that you’ve partnered with is really the most respectful way to do it.
4) Use inspiration for innovation, not copycatting. Have you ever heard the phrase “model, don’t copy?” – I hear it used when business coaches provide tools and templates for their students so that they reduce their learning curve. It’s also very true when it comes to branding. If something in the current marketplace inspires you, let the inspiration spark something new and not be the end result itself. An original idea that is copied will always make the brand look bad. T-mobile attempted this when trying to spoof the Mac vs. PC commercials. It didn’t translate as a spoof and ended up looking like a lazy copycat. Their current ads are different and innovative. Let inspiration spark you to come up with your own engaging concepts and sales copy and brand identity.
Much like bad manners, bad brand etiquette is a turn off – it turns clients away from your brand and towards someone else. Your assignment this week is to observe brand behaviors and notice what captures your attention in a positive way. Then, develop your own code of ethics around brand etiquette and be sure to communicate it to your team and educate those around you as you grow. They’ll appreciate you for it.
Need help with your branding? How about booking a 1 hour strategy session? It’ll push you past the barriers that may be keeping you stuck and allow you to get one to your passion. Call me at 888-YOU-BRAND (or 201-984-5984 for international dialers) and we’ll make it happen, ok?
