A fantastic technique I like to use with startups or companies that have existing customers and are trying to figure out how to re-brand or re-launch themselves into the market is a Perceptual Audit or Analysis. Since a market is still a conversation, understanding what customers think about your company or products is fundamental at arriving at the correct branding approach. A Perceptual Audit enables you to take stock of how your company is perceived by the team, the board, advisors, analysts and customers. The insights that come from this type of analysis can be hugely impactful, most commonly issues which the team think are important are not at all important to customers and vice versa.
My friend, Julie McHenry of Communications Insight, does a lot of Perceptual Audits and I vividly recall when she first broached the idea of doing one for the company I was working at. There was a sharp intake of breath and then I didn't breathe for at least 10 minutes.
"You want to talk to my customers? And my board? And the Management Team? And people who didn't buy from us?"
I listed out all the reasons why this was completely untenable and a ridiculous proposition. Then we decided to just do it, the timing was perfect and I realized I had nothing left to lose but some false perceptions and much to gain from the process.
I think Julie gets this from CMOs all the time - the very idea that an external consultant would call up a customer and prospects and ask questions. And for some companies who are not ready to face up to the perception that exists around their brands that is fine, but everyone else sooner or later realizes what a great exercise this is.
The results were quite spectacular and helped us re-brand in a way that aligned with our customers. The whole team was on board as they participated in the process and learned from the insights. Every year since then the team has called for another audit.
Just so we are clear, we are not talking about a survey - a Perceptual Audit is a human process whereby all of the key constituents around a company - the executive management team, the board, industry analysts, customers, prospects and prospects who didn't buy - are asked a serious of high level open ended questions and allowed to express in their own words how they feel - in fact in many cases they will give you an accurate pictue of how they describe your company or product to others. This is the first phase, the output from this phase is then used in a workshop within the company to drive forward messaging, positioning and branding. It takes a consummate professional to guide a management team through the results and into a collaboration that can result in strong branding based on the reality of how customers and prospect experience your brand.
Some of the outcomes from this type of audit include the realization that the management team is not on the same page - better to know this and work towards alignment. The other thing I have noticed, the Investors may often have a crystal clear idea of what they invested in, the management team may have a different idea and the customers a third and different approach. Aligning with customers brings everyone together - that's where the money is.
If you are at a fork in the road and you need to re-brand or re-launch your company or products do a Perceptual Audit and use that as part of creating your new messaging platform.