Branding
We help banks discover and define their unique brand…the thing that separates them from competitors.
Let’s face it; customers view banking as a commodity and all banks as essentially the same. It’s rare to find a bank that can step out from the crowd. That’s why we believe in branding. A real brand matters now more than it ever has. We’re here to help build brands, and in doing so, help them become more visible, distinctive and relevant.
01. Brand is a belief system.
It creates a sense of belonging and brings out the brand ambassador in us all. Brand says this is who I am, and this is who I am not. It’s that definitive line in the sand, that rope we call everyone to pull on together, uniting and igniting the team.
02. Brand is a dialogue.
Brand is what your customers feel and think about you. And branding is how you influence what they feel and think about you. To listen well is to brand well. Used to, banks controlled the info. Now the internet gives it freely to everyone. What are we doing now, with this altered landscape? We’re branding as if your bank depends on it. Because it does.
03. Brand is a process.
Discover the brand. Define the brand. Deliver the brand. Develop the brand over time. That’s our process. It helps us create authentic brands. It helps you determine what you’re made of, and never let your customer forget it.
04. Brand is an investment.
It takes significant time, money and effort to build a brand, but it’s worth it. It helps you attract and keep good employees and customers, elevate your value, improve efficiency, improve morale, create meaningful differentiation and increase revenue.
05. Brand is long-term
Brand value builds. Through frequent and novel encounters with the brand, the message begins to wind its little tendrils down to the hearts of the people you most want to love you. It doesn’t happen overnight. (Rats.) But in time, the brand becomes memorable, lovable, unforgettable and wildly valuable.
06. Brand is never done.
You launch your brand into the world, but the work doesn’t end there. In fact, it never ends. The brand character remains constant, but like a river that’s always flowing, a brand has to be guided, pruned, and cared for if it is to grow. If your brand is stagnant, you’ve got a breeding ground for danger.
07. Brand is in the details.
Once you understand your brand and its promise, it sits at the right hand of leadership as a spiritual guide to all decision-making, because brand affects everything, from IT and training to office décor and signage. Attention to detail makes a brand ever more powerful. What happens over the phone, on a business card, in a branch, on the web—it all matters. Mind the little intangibles … consistency, authenticity, and the ever-changing nuances of the experience with your brand.
08. Brand is love.
Brand is soul. The ultimate goal is for people to fall in love with your brand so much that they tell others about you and would never think of leaving. That’s not a product. That’s not a commodity. That’s not a bank. That’s a brand.
09. Brand is inevitable.
You’re building a brand. But what kind? Whether you know it or not, every interaction your bank has with a customer develops your brand for better or worse. Without intending to, you’re sending a message even when you say nothing at all. Branding is taking a proactive step to be a part of the conversation and take charge of influencing your brand perception.