Turning point: Why a redesign in brand building is important now

“Companies that do not invest in their brand will lose their competitiveness,” says Sven Blaukat, Director Strategy at the Evernine Group. Last year, the BVIK (Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation) found that more than a quarter of B2B marketers worldwide see this as an opportunity to invest more in customer relationships and strengthen trust.

In prosperous phases, people may be more willing to take risks and experiment - even “underdogs” get their chance. In times of crisis, however, it is not only corporates that play it safe, but also SMEs in particular. Only companies that deliver products and services of the required quality over the long term and are best suited to the customer's environment are considered reliable partners. The challenge is therefore to anchor your own brand in people's minds in such a way that it is perceived as the first choice in purchasing processes.

There was a time when it was enough to communicate product/service features with a high reach to the target groups. Today, customers expect a consistent and multifactorial communication experience across many areas. According to a recent Kantar study, 74% of consumers are paying more and more attention to sustainability when making purchasing decisions. In times of crisis, trustworthy brands that are also good and responsive communicators are preferred (McKinsey 2021). In order to promote customer identification with companies, other factors should be included in addition to high-performance products/services:

• Customer experience: Consistent communication and effective digital processes
  
  
• Purpose: Benefits, sustainability, identification with the corporate culture
  
  
• Trust: Honesty, transparency, handling of customer data
  
  
• Ambassadorship: Employees as multipliers (in this case DigitalMe-Guide)
  
  
• Environment: Identification with partners and suppliers
  
  
• Dialogue orientation: Tone of voice, feedback channels (more information: Revolution of speech as a success factor)

The “digital home” becomes a reality when the brand communicates at all levels, including emotionally, with the strategic buyer groups in all relevant channels and conveys a certain closeness. In B2C, this can be implemented with POS communication and customer loyalty programs. In B2B, it makes sense to build proximity primarily digitally and through tailored content/engagement - face-to-face events and personal meetings are also becoming more important again. The real challenges faced by customers should always be kept in mind. A brand does not appear aloof if it repeatedly conveys expertise regardless of sales. The easiest way to do this is still through the magic word “storytelling”.

A brand becomes strong when it not only refers to the best features of the product/service, but also repeatedly presents the individual solutions for different needs in a practical way. This also includes repeatedly revealing leadership content without asking for anything in return. In this way, companies gradually move up the provider priority list. In terms of implementation, this often requires a refresh in brand building.

When making decisions, more and more attention is being paid to the entire environment of providers and partners. Satisfied and communicative employees make the difference. In addition to the classic brand ambassadors. This not only has an impact on business opportunities, but also attracts outstanding candidates in recruitment. Millennials, for example, expect a lot, but they no longer expect perfection. They appreciate honest answers to their questions that arise with the respective employer or brand. They are concerned with issues such as transparency, purpose and, increasingly, inclusion.

“In addition to career opportunities, candidates today prefer employers who promote a positive and supportive corporate culture and stand up for values. This must also be reflected in all brand and corporate communication,” says Sven Blaukat, Director Strategy Consulting.

A brand can also achieve a great deal with a purpose concept in addition to the classic business aspect. This is because a product promise is usually filled with positive messages. If meaningful characteristics such as sustainability, diversity or social aspects are added, brands can even change their environment. This motivates employees and promotes customer identification.

 

Evernine advises companies on effective redesign in brand building with a holistic approach. In addition to in-depth digital health checks, the entire communication structure is examined and any weaknesses are uncovered. In addition to reputation and tone of voice, areas such as competition, sales (CRM), customer experience, marketing (Martech), PR and HR are examined in detail and possible solutions are identified. To this end, Evernine offers low-threshold approaches to strengthen the brand as a whole. In concrete terms, this can be operationalized through a redesign process that harmonizes the tried and tested with the new expectations of the market.

  

 

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