[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
The ROI of a Brand Strategy Template
The ROI of brand strategy you ask?
The short answer: INFINITY.
But that’s not why you’re here, is it?
There are lots of articles touting the ROI of brand strategy.
They all do some sort of mathematical gymnastics trying to contort their elegant model into a beneficial upside defined by some satisfying-to-their-argument profit multiple.
The resulting pretzel is neither warm nor salty and no amount of mustard is going to make it palatable.
Getting to the ROI of branding with numbers is no easy task.
That’s because successful branding, like many things in life, is based on the much maligned and oft feared–especially in business–realm of human feeling.
There’s a great saying:
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”
Let me ask you, what’s the ROI of telling someone they look great today?
What’s the ROI of making someone giggle?
What’s the ROI of telling a story so juicy it makes even the most stoic turn to gossip?
You probably couldn’t come up with an ROI on that, but you do understand that it can be the difference between making an incredible connection with someone or not.
We believe great branding is about building the opportunity for stronger connections.
By creating an experience for customers that’s unique, relevant, consistent and delightful you can touch their hearts.
What’s the ROI on that?
Truthfully this question comes most often from the folks in the startup game.
To many in that world, everything comes down to data.
But some of the best businesses I know–ones that made millions and sold for millions–never looked at it that way.
They understood that business is and always will be about people.
There’s nothing wrong with measuring things.
In fact there are many things that absolutely need to be measured – profit and loss, ad spend, video views. These numbers are real and important.
But delighting and surprising people must walk hand in hand through the lush alpine meadow of marketing.
Creating something of value, and telling the right story is foundational.
I mention story because in many ways that’s what branding really is.
Even the smallest engagement with your business is a chapter in the book.
If your brochure looks like it was typed up by your aunt Wilma on her old Smith Corona typewriter you’re either telling us you’re nostalgic or you’re running your business from her attic where you live with a mouse named Gus.
If your website gives us a 404 error every time we try and sign up for your newsletter it’s telling us you may not really care about reaching out.
If your advertising is trying to sell me sneakers, but your instagram is full of posts about Magic the Gathering we begin to wonder if you’re trying to destroy us by twisting knots of our fragile little minds.
There are several articles out there that do a decent job of correlating great branding with return on investment.
But that’s not OUR bag.
We work with businesses that want to take their game to the next level.
I know that’s cliche but what it means to us is that our people are ready to play with the big dogs and compete on a level with the world’s greatest brands.
And what makes them great?
We’ve all had a memorable experience with a great business. If you consider yourself a fan of any brand what you’re actually responding to is the small associations they’ve carefully built over multiple touchpoints–their communication, their products, their ethos and the stand they take during uncertain times.
Different brands tell different stories.
But all the ones we love tell a story that’s authentic to them and rings true for us.
I love Lyft, Warby Parker, Marie Forleo, Patagonia and quite a few you’ve probably never heard of like Tortuga that make backpacks, or ZenBivy that make backpacking gear.
I love them because every time I encounter them I get a happy feeling inside.
Perhaps it’s a new product that’s EXACTLY what I need.
Or a communication by email that reinforces my belief in their purpose.
Or a recommendation from a friend for an obscure little product that prompts a triumphant voice inside that says, “Ha, known about them for a year now!”
Each one of those small experiences builds overall brand equity.
And when done consciously while continuing to provide real value guess what you get?
ROI.
A very healthy return on investment by telling the right story.
If you still need that dry, day old pretzel that is the monetary ROI of brand strategy there are lots of work out there that tries to accomplish that with varying degrees of success. Google it. I won’t hate.
Here, we follow our experience and knowledge with the belief that AWESOME branding has an ROI of Infinity.
Because your brand is your customers’ experience of you and why would you want to put a price on that?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]
- Go back to the top of this page: Brand Strategy Template
- Learn about the basics of Brand Strategy
- Learn about how a positioning statement works into the elements of a brand strategy
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
