Developing a robust brand is essential in today’s highly connected, cutting-edge digital landscape. Just ask the celebrities that lose millions of dollars in endorsement money due to adverse press or damaging allegations only minutes after the unfavorable news breaks. A year ago, Chipotle Mexican Grill experienced a food safety crisis that nearly destroyed its brand forever. Although the famous restaurant chain is still feeling the adverse effects of an E. coli outbreak, Market Force reported that the chain was rated No. 1 among its competitors in a recent 2017 study.
Related: The Bodega Effect: Lessons In Branding From the Rise and Fall of a Startup
How can a restaurant chain that suffered the ultimate food safety black eye bounce back so effectively? Two words: brand reputation. Chipotle’s branding goal during the outbreak was to remain in its customer’s minds as the healthier, more socially responsible alternative to fast food. Establishing and achieving branding goals early on will inevitably leave your clients with a positive perception about your company for years to come (and will help your brand during and after a PR nightmare).
Establish your brand’s reputation early and often.
While establishing my technology company, my focus was solely on developing a remarkable product and providing an outstanding value to my customers. Like many entrepreneurs, I neglected to focus on the purpose behind my products and the passion behind my brand. Consequently, I undervalued the importance of establishing a compelling brand story. My website exhibited a lack of personality, and my employees were focused more on making sales than developing relationships.
The turning point came when we were over-negotiating on a mobile application package with a client. Our price points were far lower than our competitors, and our portfolio and client referrals were immaculate. What seemed to be the problem? We lacked an established brand reputation. No brand reputation equaled a lack of trust in the potential customer’s mind. After never successfully acquiring the new client, I decided to focus our attention on building a brand as opposed to a company.
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