If you missed the rest of this series, How to Define Your Brand, you may want to check those out.  The intro lays out the framework we are operating within as we walk through a “diy branding” process and part one discusses who should be on your team.  As always, it is recommended that you get some help in this process.

Talk!

It sounds simple, right?  But your team has a lot of ideas.  If this is a first time brand they will be all over the map, if this is a rebrand you will be dealing with lots of past ideas and petty arguments and all sorts of other distractions.  Get it all out and then focus.

From an organization standpoint talk about your values. Your hopes, dreams, goals.  Who is your organization?  Who are you becoming?  Who do you want to be?

At this stage it is vital to keep asking more questions.  Probe.  Challenge ideas, not to be antagonistic, but to get to the root and fully flesh thoughts out.  Point out apparent contradictions.  Highlight recurring themes.  This stage is best done in longer blocks of time a couple different times so people have a chance to really think things through, especially in the context of ongoing dialogue.

Take meticulous notes during this stage.  Maybe invest in a white board to help people visualize their thoughts.  You want every idea and value and goal, etc explored thoroughly.

At some point one of two things will happen, either you will run out of time, or you will run out of ideas.  At this point is when the fun begins (some would substitute the word fun with torture, pain, arguing, hurt feelings, etc.)  Depending on the size and scope of your project you will narrow this massive brain dump into three to ten short phrases that sum up your values.  The more succinct both the list and the individual points, the better.  This list will frame all future discussions and form a foundation that you will build your brand upon.

Once you have finished this stage, take your completed and firm list and move on the the next step.

Tagged as: advertising, band marketing, Business, Consulting, creativity, Leadership, management, Marketing, Non-profit organization