I don't often recommend other consultants. But Zande Newman is one I've followed and used for years. The post clearly articulates a fundamental issue in business strategy, considering all aspects of the strategy from the start. No component of any business stands alone nor should be left for later consideration. Branding as part of marketing, strategic partnerships, competitor evaluation and many more items contribute to a solid business strategy. Have a read.
The Importance of Early Investment in Brand Strategy
At Zande+Newman Design we often meet with entrepreneurs starting new companies and developing new products. Broadly speaking, these folks fall into one of two groups: people who have budgeted for development of a strong brand as part of their launch (these people are often serial entrepreneurs who have launched successful businesses previously), and people who are in the middle of launching their new venture and suddenly realize they are missing key tools they need to be successful.
People in this second group are often panicked. They usually have some form of a business plan but when we inquire about the resources allocated for brand strategy, brand development, and website development they often have not included line items in their budgets for these foundational items.
Too often, during our discussions we uncover deeper flaws within their business strategy that would have been unearthed during a strategic branding process.
At this point, they are often looking at our portfolio and the successes we have delivered to previous clients and the conversation turns to some variant of ‘we really need your services but our limited funding has been eaten up purchasing our building / on the contractor / developing the software . . . .’
While we can -- and often do -- find ways of delivering value to these clients, we are by definition engaged in triage rather than proactive brand building for a strong and successful business launch.
The more successful entrepreneurs understand the value delivered to their bottom line by a strategic investment in developing their brand. They include appropriate funding in their initial business plan. And, importantly, they begin the process early because they know firsthand that by working with a strong branding agency with an effective strategic branding process they will gain significant insights into their market and their product or service.
That is to say, they understand that branding is about core business strategy -- not window dressing. It is not ‘a logo.’ It is critical positioning and communication strategy. Done well, the return on investment is tangible.
Zande+Newman Design worked with Charles Joseph and his team at Acute Medical in Dallas, TX as they developed a new way to deliver acute surgical and trauma care. Charlie knew that having a strong, professional, and credible brand was absolutely essential to successfully implementing their business plan.
The results speak volumes about why putting investment in brand strategy and brand development should be part of every early stage development cycle.
“Zande+Newman helped us to focus both our communications and our look so we could speak to multiple audiences. The result is that we’ve been able to double our revenue goals in two years, and we continue to accelerate with their help.” — Charles Josephs, Acute Medical
The take away for startups and early phase companies is that you need to be incorporating realistic investments in your brand into your business plan and doing that work as early as feasible. That will provide the greatest opportunity for development of a meaningful and honest brand that is aligned with and supports your business strategy.
Geoff Coats is the owner and chief brand strategist at Zande+Newman Design in New Orleans, LA. He is passionate about helping clients build successful businesses. Talk is cheap. Give him a call at 504.891.4526 if you want to talk about your project or music in New Orleans.
Geoff Coats
504.782.0098 mobile
Twitter: @geoffcoats
Zande+Newman Design
New Orleans
504.891.4526 studio
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