Leave Your Mark – Branding Part 1
My family’s brand in iron on top of a gate
One day each spring, usually toward the end of April, the population of the cattle ranch where I grew up increased substantially. Our family of four welcomed six or eight strong men (usually unfortunate relatives and neighbors) for a day of hard work, and at least one really large meal. It was branding day.
I still remember the sounds, smells, and sights of that annual occurrence. Nearly every person ended the day dirty, tired, and bruised or otherwise injured. By then, the arguments over sorting mistakes were mostly forgiven, too. The day also ended with all the new baby calves vaccinated and ready to be turned out to graze in the national forest for the summer. By fall, they would be nearly grown, and much fatter.
My family’s brand―a horizontal XS―was acquired by my dad from a neighbor before he was even a teenager. By age 10 or 12 he already had cattle of his own that were separate from my grandfather’s or anyone else’s in the family. My grandfather’s brand was a vertical, connected PS for his initials. My great-grandfather’s brand was a vertical, not connected HH because he was Henry Junior. (It’s not lost on me that I now own a business named for my HH initials, too.) Depending on who all needed calves branded, it could mean a lot of irons in the fire.
Where I came from, branding was permanent, established ownership, prevented mix-ups, and protected property. It was a way to distinguish which cows were ours and a communications mechanism to inform others who to call if they got out of our pasture. Branding in the marketing world means words, designs, or other marks that distinguish your company from others. Your brand also encompasses the way people perceive your company.
My first experiences with branding taught me a lot about good communications.
Consistency is everything. In West River South Dakota, a clear and consistent brand meant you could prove what was yours. Likewise, every single printed piece, electronic communication, social media post, sign, and customer interaction should consistently reinforce your brand. And that doesn’t mean just putting your logo everywhere. The message, tone, look, and feel need to help convey to your customers or constituents who you are.
Simplicity goes a long way. Our family’s brands are just two letters, pretty straight forward. Conversely, brands that are visually complicated, too hard to pronounce or articulate, or easily confused with others can do more harm than good. Logos should be easily recognizable and replicable in a variety of sizes. Text should be kept at a minimum when possible, and messages should be concise and simple.
Branding is hard but important work. When I recently asked my dad about his feelings about branding day, he told me he was always so relieved when that day was over. But he also knew his personal reputation was going to live on with that brand into the future. Similarly, creating a positive and distinctive brand for your company or organization will take time and hard work. You will be relieved when you think the work is over, but I am here to tell you, it’s never over. Your brand lives and breathes and can change in ways you don’t want it to if you aren’t paying attention and continually working to maintain your good brand reputation.
Do what you can, be brave, and send it out to the world. When our cows were turned out onto the permit to graze each summer, it was an act of faith. Some years, not all the cattle could be found again in the fall. Occasionally, one would be struck by lightning, hit by a car, or stolen. But my mom and dad always knew they did what they could to protect them, and the rest of the cows were better for having that time in the sunshine eating grass. Company brands can be marred by a bad customer experience or otherwise unfortunate event, but owning up to those mistakes and reinforcing the positive areas of your brand will help you stay above the fray.
Leave your mark. Mavericks are cattle that don’t have a brand. Some cattle producers are fine taking their chances and don’t want to deal with all the work of branding. Other people purchase a brand just as a status symbol but never use it. Neither of those possibilities were options in my family. In my mom’s words, “If you want to keep what’s yours, branding is what you do.” In our companies and organizations, we need to leave a mark as well. We need to make sure potential customers think of us first, and positively. Branding is how you do that.
Most people in my industry probably don’t picture a corral full of calves when they hear the word “branding,” and they may even be better off for it. I’ve had quite a few bruised shins and crunched fingers from those days. But I also know what I learned from branding cattle makes me a better communicator today. After all, I have never shied away from the hard work of consistent and simple communications.
Another principle I learned from my dad about branding: A good name is better than a name brand. Watch for that blog post next week.