How to get a brand and get ahead
Brand development seems to be the current in-phrase, but do you really understand how to maximise the power of your brand identity to improve the performance of your business? It’s often all too easy to concentrate on the daily management of recruitment, but can you afford to do this in such an overcrowded, competitive marketplace? Just imagine how much simpler life would be if you had an influx of interested candidates and clients waiting to speak to you. A well designed and integrated brand identity can help to achieve exactly this.
Effective brand management is vital for any company, regardless of its size or business sector. Due to the size of the recruitment market, brand marketing is necessary to enable companies to differentiate themselves and stay ahead of the competition.
It takes the right mix of creative flair and systematic marketing to achieve a successful brand. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, your brand should encapsulate the ethos and values of your organisation. And while the design is critical, the functionality of your brand must be considered to gain maximum return.
Your brand identity can be strengthened by adopting some simple rules:
Identify your strengths and your differentiators
Everyone likes to know what’s in it for them. Your brand logo should communicate the services that give clients and candidates a little bit extra — services that maybe your competitors can’t or won’t offer.
Keep it simple
Once your unique selling points are identified, communicate these through a powerful strapline or positioning statement. Make it clear to your prospects that you are the agency to fulfil all their recruitment requirements.
Be honest
Don’t try to be something you’re not. Agencies often have more strengths than they realise — work on these rather than making up false claims that may come back to haunt you.
Make it easy
A strong brand that stands up to its promises is an extremely influential tool. Maximise your opportunities by making it easy for decision-makers to choose you. Communicate how you can help and support them. Easy decision-making leads to customer loyalty, which results in growth for your business.
Your brand identity reflects and underscores the entire ethos and reputation of your organisation. To communicate with your target audience in an inconsistent, unprofessional manner will only serve to devalue your brand — and therefore your reputation within the industry.
Your logo should clearly communicate what you do so your service offering is obvious from the outset. Once the design is established, it — and its core messages — must be incorporated throughout your entire marketing materials. All communication with clients should be consistent — from your corporate brochure and website to your stationery and invoices. Incorporating a vibrant brand throughout your marketing materials will portray a dynamic organisation and catch the attention of your target audience. Don’t try to mix your messages — clear and consistent communication will turn the heads of your clients, candidates and competition.
Adopting an integrated approach to your branding efforts will make the difference to your sales figures. A well-designed and consistently portrayed identity will increase the value of your brand, generate customer loyalty and strengthen bottom line results.
Craig Gabriel