To Scale Growth, Value Brand and Be Curious.

If you are someone who wants your company to get better at this growth thing, let’s start by zeroing in on a perspective from Jeff Bezos…

“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.”

Think about that for a few moments, objectively, what would other people say about your brand if you weren’t in the room?

What would your customers say?

Would prospective customers even know your brand?

What would your employees say? Would the message be consistent and directionally right?

>>> Here’s some room to ponder these questions, maybe take a note or two on your thoughts so its real, before continuing. >>>

The overwhelming marketplace voice for strategy and execution about growing a business is focused on people, culture, marketing, sales, and systems…doing all of it at scale.

And every one of those things are absolutely important.

But they are all dependent on the oft forgotten, tough to get a good handle on thing that is Brand.

We’re not talking about strategy or identity. These are outputs of Brand.

Brand is deeper. Think of Brand like a person; the BODY and SOUL; the WHO and WHY. Brand is alive.

Business disciplines like marketing, sales, and service are the WORK of the Brand (person)...the HOW.

If a company is not a compelling Brand, at its core, everything else we hold out as a priority is exponentially harder to do. And just because a brand looks good, that does not mean it is good.

Ok. So what are we supposed to do with this information?

First, in case the above pondering exercise created some additional questions or concerns, resist the notion of jumping into action to answer those questions by executing some sort of change in the brand identity, or firing up a refreshed marketing campaign, or sending out an e-survey.

For now, focus on simple awareness and observation about the Brand, through the lens of your audience.

Keep doing your day the way you’ve been doing it…

…just layer in a more curious mindset about the people (both employees and customers) by asking simple, open-ended questions inquiring about what they value.

And while the actual answers are an important outcome, it’s just as much about nurturing the relationship.

For example, when an employee is providing an internal update on a project, ask…

What do you like about this project?

You could add…

What change might make things more interesting for you personally?

When visiting with a client in-person, ask…

How do you see the work we do together supporting your top priorities, specifically?

And a follow up question to consider…

What one thing could we as a company improve for you?

Asking questions, impromptu, is a simple yet impactful way to demonstrate you value a person and their perspective. It nurture’s trust and helps you uncover insights about your Brand.

If a curious mindset is already part of your M.O., ask yourself if there’s more you could do with what you learn from the answers to breath life into the Brand. Also consider if you could ask better, open-ended questions, or if you could be a better listener.

It’s to your benefit, and that of the Brand, to allow people to answer fully without, helping them along or shaping the questions to get answers you want to hear.

Lastly, yes, you are “in the room” and that doesn’t literally line up with the Bezos observation.

But trust is being nurtured (which leads to healthy growth), and that goes a long way to influencing what people say when you are not in the room.

Here’s to more thinking…to better thinking, as better thinking comes before better doing.

Best,

Peter

Peter A Snell
Founder and CEO