Rebranding gives you the opportunity to galvanize people around your shared vision. Learn how to build a team that will maximize your brand’s impact.
Developing a distinctive, compelling brand involves research, creative thinking, and tough decisions. Whether you use outside help or in-house talent, you’ll need a branding committee that includes members of your staff and your board. The committee will coordinate the branding process, provide needed institutional knowledge, and make key decisions.
Build a team that has the leadership, authority, and knowledge to guide the process. Then support them.
The committee does not need to come up with all the ideas and information. Their job is to gather, analyze, and act on information, which is tough enough. The following tips will make their job less stressful.
Incorporate Diverse Perspectives
Gather opinions and information from staff at every level in the organization. Including a wide range of perspectives has two benefits. People feel they are a part of the process, which facilitates acceptance of the new brand. And different viewpoints can elicit great ideas that the branding team may not have come up with on its own. Be sure to manage expectations when soliciting input so people realize that not all needs will be met nor all suggestions adopted. You must listen to people, but in the end, your team has to select a direction from among the options suggested.
Balance Staff Time
The brand process can take a lot of time, so staff workload must be considered. Yes, you want staff input, but you do not want the branding project to become another burden to already overworked staff. Decide what kind of participation you want from them and how long it will take. You may want staff to take a quick survey online, participate in group discussions or one-on-one interviews, or just submit ideas about issues the team is considering. Whatever level of input you choose, set aside time from people’s regular workload so their participation can be thoughtful and enthusiastic, not rushed and given grudgingly.
Assign a Point Person
Designating a well-organized point person is critical. This person will oversee the many activities of the project, and will liaise with outside contractors. The point person will make sure everyone is doing the tasks assigned, will gather and interpret feedback from various parties, and convey decisions and ideas to the branding team. This is a responsibility that requires some marketing knowledge as well as finesse with interpersonal communication skills. Be sure the person assigned is good at project management and is given the time and authority to do it well.
Have a Champion
An equally important role is that of champion, someone who is passionate about both the organization’s mission and the need for a strong brand, someone who can effectively advocate for both the process and the objective, and keep everyone motivated. This is the person who will build consensus for the initiative and mediate and keep the process on track when obstacles arise. Ideally, this will be a board member or someone else with authority.
Choosing your branding team gets you started. Now the team has to get down to the nitty gritty. It must define roles, budget time and money, and develop a timeline.
