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MOLDING YOUR BRAND The best part about branding is that you have complete control over it. You can portray the exact image you want and shape the way your brand is viewed. Your logo, your colors, your website, and your typography can build an unforgettable impression. From there, your marketing channel can grow consensus and establish credibility. BRAND DIFFERENTIATION As the concept of branding begins to perpetuate itself on a larger scale, the tools, systems, and approaches businesses use slowly become more formulaic. What was once exciting and new has become washed- out. Brands are starting to look more similar, and companies are ignoring trends. The harsh reality that the shelf life of a trend has dropped significantly — what used to last years only hangs around for months now. The immediacy of information, combined with technological changes, has created a culture where businesses are finding it more difficult to deliver a “wow.”
Even though it’s difficult to make an impression, that doesn’t mean your company shouldn’t try — just the opposite, in fact. In today’s business world, it’s imperative to separate yourself. Picture the crowd of brands as a pack of automatons from a sci-fi movie; they dress the same, speak the same, act the same, and look the same. In a world full of look-alikes, it’s essential to have your brand fight for individuality. It needs to be different and express itself in a way that isn’t’ robotic or plastic. What’s the best way to do this? Well, as cheesy as it sounds, be yourself. The most authentic way to create a brand that is different is to mold an interpretation that directly reflects your business’s core values. If your company is a person, you need to find out who that person is. When push comes to shove, our brands are unique individuals, and they should be celebrated.
No. Odds are you want every hair in place, every tooth shiny and white, every piece of clothing pressed, ready to make their date have the time of their life. Branding is like that, only every minute of every day, with millions of microinteractions.
2. How consensus shapes interpretation
Think about some of the most significant brands out there, such as Apple, Google, and Levi’s. These businesses have garnered the respect of the masses, partially because of their products, but primarily due to how the general public clings to them. The more people you have following your brand, the more credibility it has. Remember when you were in high school? Odds are there were some trendsetters a lot of people looked up to (or at least tried to mimic). They created waves of popularity, and everyone latched on to the movement. These people often gained instant credibility based on the fact they were liked or trusted.
Bearer of Bad News What to Tell Your Team When Someone Is Fired
HAVE AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY
So, it finally happened: There were too many problems you couldn’t overcome, and you had to let an employee go. Firing someone is one of the hardest things managers have to do, but the trouble doesn’t end after the former employee leaves the building. Even if the termination is not a surprise to you or the employee, it can be a surprise to your team. Handle this next stage carefully, or you might create more problems than you solve.
If the former employee was close to their coworkers, remaining members of your team may be upset by the departure. Let your team know that they can come talk to you if they have questions. If an employee gossips about the termination, nip this in the bud by inviting them to your office to ask you questions directly. Remind them that you cannot discuss the details of the other employee’s termination, but ask what concerns they have and address those concerns to the best of your abilities. It would be nice if you never had to fire anyone, but those odds are slim. The best thing to do is stay calm, have a plan in place, and address each situation with respect, for the sake of your team.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY
AVOID THE CONE OF SILENCE
While it’s important to be as transparent as possible, your former employee has a right to privacy, and you don’t want to leave yourself open to legal action or be viewed as unprofessional. Resist the urge to criticize, and share only the facts. Consider saying something like“Kevin’s last day was yesterday. We will look for someone to fill the position right away, but for the time being, his work will be spread between Jasper and Victoria. If you have any questions, you can speak to your direct manager.”
“Out of sight, out of mind” never works. If you try to sweep a termination under the rug, you’ll only encourage gossip, which will erode your team’s trust in management. Remaining employees may worry about their job security and look for employment elsewhere. Communicate with the rest of your team quickly. Within 24 hours, you should hold a small meeting or send an email explaining the situation.
2 • www.hrresolutions.com
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