3
MARKETING A SUPPLEMENT OF THE ZWEIG LETTER
O P I N I O N
The ownership brand Instead of offering ownership as a reward, business leaders should think strategically of how owners reflects their brand. T he simplest definition of a brand is “how others perceive a product or service.” So, written words, images, people, and all other features of a firm contribute to the perception of its brand. Companies and individuals – including groups of individuals – also project a brand.
Let’s start being more intentional with firm ownership and view it as a part of the overall brand we are trying to define both internally and externally.
This includes a firm’s ownership and the people who make up that supposedly prestigious group of individuals. Firms’ leaders need to think multi-dimensionally as they consider new equity partners for company ownership. We see too many firms treating ownership like a reward for longevity or performance. Although considering those attributes is fine, they need to be part of a much larger overall qualification process, which should include considering the ownership brand you want to project. When considering equity partners, you must take into consideration how they are viewed by the rest of the organization and how adding them to this prestigious group makes the ownership more or less attractive to future owner candidates. A clear and very intentional formula for evaluating and selecting owner candidates goes a long way toward creating the ideal brand of ownership now and for future generations. Here are some things to consider as you seek to improve your ownership pool:
See CHAD CLINEHENS, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 26, 2015, ISSUE 1125
Made with FlippingBook Annual report