Dynamics of Branding - A New Approach

For so long now, marketing communication theories and practices have supported strongly the  concept that creating strong brands adds value to the company's asset sheet.

This is particularly true for large corporations and multinational companies that are "faceless", and have a large workforce, as recognising a product because of its brand association is the way companies stay in business.

However, with smaller companies where personal contact is made with customers, especially in Service Industries, the strongest brand element that should receive a good portion of the advertising budget, is the employee!

How can an employee be considered a brand builder?  If we take the simple definition of a brand, which is normally quoted as "the personality that identifies a product, service or company", this fits in perfectly with the premise that employees should be considered as an important marketing communications tool as well!

To date, I haven't read anywhere in  any marketing literature about employees being considered as part of a company's brand in the sense of traditional branding approaches, so, I pose the following:

• If a company has a workforce made up of long term employees, people that are committed and dedicated to the company, and its products and services,  the customers will subconsciencly feel an attachment to these employees.  This is true especially when they see and work with the same people over and over again, closely and over many years, thus brand awareness, and brand reliability, have been created by the employee; 

• If companies with long term employees, who show genuine care for their customers and provide not only service, but a friendly, reliable and trustworthy approach, then the "brand recall", is created by the employee.

The two scenarios above, are only a few of the analogies that can be considered  in correlation to the traditional approach, and the new approach I am suggesting.

If companies spend some time and money developing their employees by considering them as part of brand building strategies, it would add more value to their generic products and services and give them the edge on their competitors. 

We've seen in many management books that labour turnover is costly, but  what about the cost or damage to the "brand"?

There's nothing like visiting your local service centre to find the same technician that repaired your first piece of equipment many years ago, you know him/her inside out, and so does he/she! 

Or booking your holiday with the consultant that has known where you've  travelled for the last 20 years and knows what you like and don't like, where you've been and haven't been! 

Think about it, branding is not just about logos, symbols and signs, it's also about companies investing in developing their strongest brand - people who will keep customers coming back and happy!