You’ve completed an assessment of your brand promises. You’ve aligned your strengths and closed the gaps. And you’ve built a strategy to move forward in the now and you’re thinking about a stronger future. Well done, you!

But just because you have this work complete and your senior team is feeling confident doesn’t mean your employees, your vendors, and your customers are. They don’t know what you know. At least, not until you communicate with them. 

There are three keys to successfully communicate what you’ve discovered:

Communicate what’s the Same

Communicate what’s Different

Make your communications Stand Out

Start with your employees. Build their confidence in the future of your organization, and the important role they play. To do this, you must 

Communicate what’s the Same – tell them what they will continue to do that delivers on your company’s brand promise. Reminding them about the great things they’ve done (and will continue to do) to help grow the company will help them lean in to the changes you’re making. Make them feel a sense of ownership. Only then should you… 

Communicate what’s Different – tell them about any processes and procedures that will be changing as you move forward. Give them time and opportunity to understand these changes, ask questions, and make suggestions to make them more effective. There’s already been significant upheaval in how they’re performing their jobs, and it’s critical that you get this right. Then you can…

Make your communications Stand Out – share with your team how your company will continue to be different, and better, than your competition. This is team building at it’s very best as you bring your employees into your vision of the future, motivate them and encourage their loyalty.

Next, you should communicate with your vendors. Follow the very same steps as with your employees – first the Same, then the Different and finally Stand Out.

Only after your employees and vendors are on board should you communicate with your customers. You must be absolutely certain you can deliver 100% on what you’re promising in order to maintain the trust of customers. As you communicate with your customers…

Communicate what’s the Same – remind your customers of the brand promises they’ve counted on, and how you’ll continue to keep them. Change can be disorienting without the support of knowing that some things won’t change.

Communicate what’s Different – tell them what you’re doing differently now to continue to earn their trust. Tell them how these new products or initiatives will make their lives better, easier, more enjoyable. Show them how these differences are meaningful. And tell them how you’ve changed your processes and procedures to deliver 100% on what you’re promising.

Make your communications Stand Out – work with your internal creative team or external ad agency to make sure your messages Stand Out. None of the “in these uncertain times, we care” messaging that everyone else is using. How can your messaging Stand Out to your current customers as well as attract new ones?

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to success. You’ve assessed your brand and made the changes necessary to be relevant in the now. And you’ve been strategic and thoughtful in how you’ve communicated those changes – to your employees, your vendors and your customers to ensure you can deliver 100% on what your brand promises.

Ready to get started? Contact us today.

Next: Part Three: Disruption and Innovation

In Case You Missed Part One: Reflection

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