How to Create a Strong Brand for Your Business How to Create a Strong Brand | Page 8

5

What are your business’
aspirations?

6

When creating a new brand for your business it
is important set out your goals and objectives for
the future. This effectively sets the destination for
where you want your business to be at some point
in the future.
This is an important building block for both your
business and for your brand because unless you
know where you are going, you will not be able to
make plans for the direction and growth of your
business.
Think carefully about the short, medium and
long-term aspirations that you have for your
business and categorise them as follows:
Visit BlueIceBusiness.co.uk
for more information.

Objectives – short-term, usually 1-3 years in the
future
Goals – medium term, usually 3-5 years in the
future
Vision – long-term, usually over 5 years in the
future
Please note that these three categories do not
stand alone – they should to be linked to each
other so that attaining your objectives leads to
achieving your goals which, in turn, helps to attain
your vision.
Once you have set and committed to these targets
you should put plans in place to take action to
achieve them.

hints & tips
Clear values supported by a
strong culture will help
to create a strong and
sustainable brand.

What are your business’
values & culture?
A business and, therefore, its brand is like a person
in so much as it is made up of beliefs and values
which determines how it behaves in different
situations. When building a brand, it is, therefore,
crucial to have a clear understanding of the values
and ethos that will guide your business.
Consequently, it is important to establish a set of
values that act as the moral compass that guides
your business as it grows, creating a stronger
business with clear direction, as well as helping to
define your corporate identity. If you already have a
strong set of values, then it can be useful to ensure
that they are clearly understood and followed within
your business.
The culture of your organisation (which is driven by
its values and ethos) plays a critical role, not only in
shaping your new brand identity, but in building the
reputation of your brand over time. It is important to
ensure that the culture of your business supports
and communicates your values.
As new people are employed and others leave there
is a risk that the values and ethos of the business are
diluted or even changed over time. These changes
can result in a disconnect between your brand
promise and the product/service delivery which can
have an adverse effect on your brand’s reputation. It
is, therefore, important to takes steps to ensure that
your culture remains consistent as your business
grows.
Remember, clear values supported by a strong
culture will create a strong brand.