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Your Brand Is Not an Option

In recent years, conversations about branding has become more mainstream. Whether large or small, the public is becoming more educated about the importance of having a strong brand. I’ve put together some basic introductory thoughts about branding for those of you who may be new to this conversation.

Your Brand is NOT Optional

Whether you acknowledge it or not, you have a brand. The better question might be, “What is my brand?”

Your brand is embedded in everything that you communicate, facilitate, and produce. Your brand highlights the distinctiveness with which you embody your mission.

Your Brand is NOT Your Mission

In many organizations and businesses, leaders often focus a significant amount of time (and rightly so) on its mission, vision, and values. There’s no doubt that this process is foundational to any entity. The problem arises when organizations take their message straight to their multiple platforms (i.e., brand experiences) of communication and development (e.g., Web sites, newsletters, programs, social media, design, etc.) while bypassing intentional strategy around their brand.

This usually results in unclear messaging, unrealistic perceptions and expectations (both inside and outside of the organization), and systemic inconsistency that will hinder development and growth.

Your Brand is NOT Just Cool Design

Your mission communicates why you exist. Your brand is your organization’s personality, identity, and voice. It is not just a cool logo and tagline. Your brand encompasses the kinds of attributes you would want people to walk away with in describing your organization or business after each point of contact with your work.

Your Brand is YOU!

Your brand will help you actualize your goals. Your brand bridges the unnecessary distance between you and your clients by providing a clear identity and voice for your work. It will deepen the trust you already have with those who believe in you and encourage new relationships to develop.  

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charleslee@churchleaders.com'
Charles is the CEO & Chief Idea-Maker at Ideation, a brand innovation company that specializes in helping businesses & organizations build remarkable brands via innovative business design, organizational change architecture, brand integration, design, web, and marketing services. He is also the author of Good Idea. Now What?: How to Move Ideas to Execution, a practical book designed to help people move ideas to implementation. Charles is regularly invited to speak to leading companies and organizations on topics such as creativity, innovation, idea-making, and branding. Executive leaders from brands including Wells Fargo, Toyota, The White House, Catalyst, William Morris Endeavor, mun2, Council of Urban Professionals, Chick-fil-A, and many others have benefited from having Charles present at their key events.