What the CEO (or Board) Really Wants to Know About BrandingHint: Aligning brand strategy with business growth and vitality will get the CEO to pay attention. Often the biggest hurdle you'll face in developing or refining the brand strategy for your company is the reluctance of the CEO to buy into the importance-- the vital nature--of branding. But it's critical to get the full support and backing from the CEO or your board before proceeding down the brand path. Communications consultant Bob Lamons says, "The CEO needs to be the No. 1 brand champion. No exceptions. No extenuating circumstances. If she resists accepting this responsibility, the company will suffer." I've had more than one CEO ask the questions, "But how does the brand fit into the big picture? What will be the impact on sales growth? If our priority is growing customers and repeat business, how will the refocused brand help us achieve that? 
While there's no one-sentence answer to those questions, a brand is a business’ reputation in the minds of its customers and prospects. It's the gut feeling that one has for a company or product. But great companies actively manage their brand. That means having a compelling answer to the question, "Why should I support your business?" What that means to the big picture--and for attracting customers and loyal followers--is that in a society where people have less time and shorter attention spans, your business must have a succinct, compelling, and unique brand. By having a fanatical focus, alignment, and linkage reinforcing your brand reputation in everything you do (and eliminating those things which dilute this reputation), customers and prospects who are looking for your unique attribute are more likely to engage with you. So your brand isn't just a component of the big picture, rather it IS the big picture. There's a maxim that states: "The brand is the strategy." So for your company’s leadership, it's important for them to understand that the brand will be the touchstone on which everything else you do and say should relate and reflect. Your logo, tagline, or any other tactical marketing and communications approaches are simply reflections and reinforcements of the brand. Your company’s brand will be driven by the experiences you create with staff, vendors, media, government, industry, communities, and customers--and the emotional feelings these groups develop as a result of those positive experiences. Refocusing of your brand will help to make your business’ reputation clearer. Your message can be spoken in relevant and authentic tones making your results more consistent. When you begin to move forward tactically, on a solid brand strategy platform, you can speak across multiple channels with one-voice consistency. Over time, this will impress your unique value to the marketplace--those who can and will consider buying your products or services--and you will see growth. It's about having a strategy that your CEO --and your entire organization-- can get behind, believe in, and live through every customer and prospect touchpoint. And that's what the CEO wants to know about branding.
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