MODA | CULTURE AND BRAND ALIGNMENT ALLOW YOU TO WIN BIG. AND CRUSH COMPETITION

CULTURE AND BRAND ALIGNMENT ALLOW YOU TO WIN BIG.

Do you want to crush/outsmart/gain market-share and win big over your competition? Your answer is here.

We are headquartered in Nashville and it is growing at a rapid pace. People are moving in and companies are calling this place home. Some companies are not ready to compete. Are you one of them? If not, you need to be. You should only be ‘afraid’ of competition if you haven’t prepared yourself, your employees and your company.

Just this week, the Nashville Business Journal reported that the nation’s fifth-largest accounting firm is preparing to open a Nashville office. Read more here.

When you should be afraid of competition?

You haven’t shared great (brand) stories. (With your employees, the community, shareholders and so on).
You don’t have a vision. (Where you are going). Or a purpose. (Why you are going there).
Your company or organization has a confused culture. (Or, it isn’t unique and powerful).
You haven’t invested into building the leaders and future leaders of the company. (Training, executive coaching, personal and business development).
There isn’t any internal brand alignment within your company – the idea that all people are aligned with each other on brand matters. Full alignment of culture happens when everyone in the company/association/organization share one common understanding of all things brand. (Brand identity). Infighting, poor communication between departments, group and individuals and lack of growth are all signs of poor alignment.

Why does this matter regarding competition?

When you have emotional engagement with your brand, your employees make it personal, and they become your brand ambassadors with everyone! They share a unique, consistent message about the company and its differentiators. (And the company wins BIG!)
- People want to work with companies whose employees enjoy being there. Positivity is an underrated quality!
When core values are aligned, there is increased communication, loyalty, unity and a feeling that everyone matters and has great value. People work harder when an emotional connection is positive, and they get buy-in from clients better than any of your competition could.
- If your core values are not known and lived, your company and your employees will be lost in an ever-growing crowded marketplace…and you lose.
People work harder for something they believe in and believes in them – and don’t jump ship to your competitors. You become a light in a dark room – people, employees and clients, are attracted to your brand versus wondering what it is.

I recently received an email from a wonderful client who gave me permission to share the question I was asked.

She says, “I want to thank you for sending this video snip out. It arrived at the perfect time, when I am reconsidering my own brand, who I am and what that means and how to solidify and communicate that. At the same time, I am trying to determine what the brand of my employer is, and I can tell you: it feels very unsubstantial and unclear, other than “Here we are, a healthcare software company, ready to sell you our software.” Do they want to provide a unique customizable product to clinical clients? Or a product that is maybe a little boring, but a reliable workhorse? Do they want to be known for superior quality in that product or quick turnaround for customization? I wish you had some tips to help me figure out what THEIR brand is, so I can accurately determine compatibility!”

This is a huge problem and is much more common than you think. Failure happens when there is inconsistency with all communications and actions. How leaders do, or don’t, support the brand message – this includes how you fire and hire which are some of the clearest ways of how people live out their core values. If there is a nondescript or negative culture, people leave, and competitors win. Culture and brand must be in sync always in ALL ways.
Where do you begin?

Know your vision, mission and core values
- Communicate them in multiple ways, consistently and simply
- Rely on core values to hire, fire and promote
Engage every leader – all leaders must walk the walk and talk the talk of the brand
- You want all employees to see buy-in to the vision and mission and culture from all leaders. (Transformation requires 100% manager/leader buy-in)
Prioritize. If you, a leader, want to transform culture either because it is negative or not serving the company or people well, it starts with you. There are zero days off – and the initial transformation and integration is your responsibility.

MODA Image and Brand Consulting is the only company in the United States that is able to integrate corporate brand, personal brand, leadership, marketing, sales, image, internal and external communication, non-verbal communication, emotional intelligence, brand storytelling, the ‘why’ exercises, professional etiquette, executive presence and fashion into training seminars and 1:1 executive coaching that benefit both the company and its employees.

Email info@modaimageconsulting.com or call 615.656.4279 for more information about individual or corporate services.