http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out Opinions. Commentary. News. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:23:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21999 Ted Mininni Mon, 24 Jul 2006 13:27:44 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21999 I quite agree, Mack. As I pointed out in my blog, all employees, whether they interact with the customer or not, represent the brand. Everybody's job performance impacts the brand in one way or another. That's why a company's employees collectively are, or should be viewed, as its number one asset. I quite agree, Mack. As I pointed out in my blog, all employees, whether they interact with the customer or not, represent the brand. Everybody’s job performance impacts the brand in one way or another. That’s why a company’s employees collectively are, or should be viewed, as its number one asset.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21998 Yuri Mon, 24 Jul 2006 04:06:18 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21998 They can't just put all the people that work for a company in four categories, let alone define the categories so lamely. There can certainly be variations on what a person does to a company and how he performs. The staff can be characterized by the principle they operate, not by some vague descriptions. I think they hit the "Publish" button instead of "Save draft" button by mistake. They can’t just put all the people that work for a company in four categories, let alone define the categories so lamely.
There can certainly be variations on what a person does to a company and how he performs. The staff can be characterized by the principle they operate, not by some vague descriptions.
I think they hit the “Publish” button instead of “Save draft” button by mistake.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21997 Mack Collier Sun, 23 Jul 2006 00:12:14 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21997 "In my view, if those employees who represent the corporate brand to the customer are considered "easily replaceable" in management's view, this goes counter to their perceived importance as the "public face" of the company. Can it be said on the one hand that these people deliver substantive value, yet, are easily replaceable? That "if they don't do their job well, the business can suffer significantly", yet, they are easily replaceable?" You're exactly right Ted, this is a huge disconnect. It's much closer to the truth to say that your ambassadors are your most prized employees! And as Michael implies, why can't ALL your employees be ambassadors? “In my view, if those employees who represent the corporate brand to the customer are considered “easily replaceable” in management’s view, this goes counter to their perceived importance as the “public face” of the company. Can it be said on the one hand that these people deliver substantive value, yet, are easily replaceable? That “if they don’t do their job well, the business can suffer significantly”, yet, they are easily replaceable?”
You’re exactly right Ted, this is a huge disconnect. It’s much closer to the truth to say that your ambassadors are your most prized employees!
And as Michael implies, why can’t ALL your employees be ambassadors?

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21996 Ted Mininni Fri, 21 Jul 2006 19:23:54 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21996 Thanks, Mike and Lewis, for your comments and input. I quite agree with both of you. All of companies' branding efforts go for naught if they are completely outwardly focused. Unfortunately, many are. Great branding starts with employee "buy in" as Lewis aptly puts it, or, from "the inside out" as I put it. Thanks, Mike and Lewis, for your comments and input. I quite agree with both of you. All of companies’ branding efforts go for naught if they are completely outwardly focused. Unfortunately, many are. Great branding starts with employee “buy in” as Lewis aptly puts it, or, from “the inside out” as I put it.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21995 Lewis Green Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:02:01 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21995 Good stuff! Having the priviledge of working for a corporation nearly a decade ago that not only believed that brand is built from the inside out but practiced it, I can attest first-hand how successful that brand strategy can be. The company I speak of owns one of the most recognizable brands in the world. It all begins with communications and the words we choose to communicate, followed-up be action. In most business environments, the location I worked would be called corporate. At this company, our work place was (and still is) called the Support Center. The President and CEO called on partners (employees) to come up with the name, a great way to build buy-in. Furthermore, all of us from the Support Center were required to provide foremost customer services to those who worked in the stores. And we had to work in the stores a minimum of one week a year. Finally, store employees were frequently and publicly praised as the most important people in the company. They received frequent company information, including goals, progress on goals and financials. And they were well trained. Most important, however, is the freedom they were given to make local marketing and branding decisions and the encouragement and structure to be innovative, including creating new product ideas for review and testing. That is a snapshot of what building brand from the inside/out looks like. I was so impressed with building brand in that manner that I work diligently to help my clients understand the model and to implement it within their own businesses. I will save the stories of my clients' push back for another post. Good stuff! Having the priviledge of working for a corporation nearly a decade ago that not only believed that brand is built from the inside out but practiced it, I can attest first-hand how successful that brand strategy can be. The company I speak of owns one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
It all begins with communications and the words we choose to communicate, followed-up be action.
In most business environments, the location I worked would be called corporate. At this company, our work place was (and still is) called the Support Center. The President and CEO called on partners (employees) to come up with the name, a great way to build buy-in.
Furthermore, all of us from the Support Center were required to provide foremost customer services to those who worked in the stores. And we had to work in the stores a minimum of one week a year. Finally, store employees were frequently and publicly praised as the most important people in the company.
They received frequent company information, including goals, progress on goals and financials. And they were well trained.
Most important, however, is the freedom they were given to make local marketing and branding decisions and the encouragement and structure to be innovative, including creating new product ideas for review and testing.
That is a snapshot of what building brand from the inside/out looks like. I was so impressed with building brand in that manner that I work diligently to help my clients understand the model and to implement it within their own businesses.
I will save the stories of my clients’ push back for another post.

]]> http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/comment-page-1/#comment-21994 Michael Wagner Fri, 21 Jul 2006 15:03:10 +0000 http://www.mpdailyfix.com/building-brand-value-from-the-inside-out/#comment-21994 Ted, great find at S+B. And I find my self nodding along as you challenge the notion that Ambassadors are easily replaceable. I tell clients that they can't outsource their brand. Everyone has to own it. Of course they resist. But your point is spot on, a brand really is an inside-out reality built by people who know the value of human resources. Thanks for enlarging the conversation - now you got me thinking for the rest of the day!!! Ted, great find at S+B. And I find my self nodding along as you challenge the notion that Ambassadors are easily replaceable.
I tell clients that they can’t outsource their brand. Everyone has to own it. Of course they resist.
But your point is spot on, a brand really is an inside-out reality built by people who know the value of human resources.
Thanks for enlarging the conversation – now you got me thinking for the rest of the day!!!

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