So what creates value in a company?
As I’ve been writing my book, this is something I’ve been thinking a lot about. It’s tougher than you’d think to articulate the different elements that make one business more successful than another!
What remains when you break it down? I’m sure some of the ideas that are rumbling around your head are things like great financial performance, awesome product, scalable operations, a high performing team, having the demand gen engine and the flywheel rolling – the list goes on.
Those things are all valid, but what’s missing from the list every time is brand.
Why Brand Matters
Brand is enterprise business value. Brand is the strategic lever that is going to unleash what we call the “Tailwind for Success,” which is all about speed, efficiency, consistency, and creating those meaningful, relevant connections over and over again.
A great example of a brand that’s done this for about a hundred years now is Coca-Cola. If you’re a small brand, you may be thinking, “Well, what does that have to do with me?”
The truth is, the size of your company doesn’t matter. If you think about the principles that they’ve put into play by leading with brand, that’s how you’re going to win. Think about who your target audiences are. Think about the protection that brand gives you when something goes wrong.
Take Coke Zero as an example – it was such a flop! Coca Cola’s strong brand kept them going through the disaster. If they didn’t have brand, would they be in the same position? I don’t know, you tell me.
The Bottom Line
I want you to think differently about how brand is connected to value creation for your company, and for your business. Your business is your brand, and your brand is your business.
Giddy up!