Get in Touch with Your Inner Brand

 In today’s hectic world, self-help coaches and spiritual guides have exhorted stressed-out individuals to breathe deeply, think about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, and to be kind to yourself.

We need to get in touch with our inner selves if we are to deal better with the world. It makes sense. How can you expect the world to understand you if you don’t even know your own self, well, yourself?

When we talk about people like this, it makes perfect sense. It also makes perfect sense for a brand, if you really understand what a brand is. A brand is not just a name, a logo, a website or a Facebook page. A brand is a living, breathing combination of core beliefs, a vision and the people who believe them.

A brand is a promise. It’s what people think when you, as a representative of a given brand, are not there to explain.

Think of a brand as an organism, with the cells being the people who make up the brand. To survive in this brand world, a brand needs consistency, from the inside out.

Think of your own brand. Does your team consistently represent the brand every day? It is practically impossible if your inside team, your brand’s inner self, does not understand what your brand stands for.

And if the inside team does not understand your brand, how in the wide, wide world of sports could your target understand, empathize with, believe in, love, and buy into your brand?

Companies spend millions of dollars each year researching target markets, demographics, buying habits, likes and dislikes. This is helpful, but the first step is skipped.

Start with your own internal research. Instead of a focus group of consumers, start with turning the focus inward. Find out if your people know and believe in your why. They may already know your brand better than you do.

Before you reach out, look within and get in touch with your inner brand. If you would like to discuss a strategic process that helps you take ownership of your brand, send me a note at jhenke@henkeinc.com. Good luck with your inner-branding-self-discovery.