Who would you rather be: a reporter or a columnist? Reporters have a great combination of communication skills, investigative skills, moxy and pluck. Columnists are made from the same raw material, but they get paid far more. Why is this so?
The answer is simple: Readers care more about what a particular person is saying than what a generic person says. Said another way, a staff reporter is an unknown work unit, while a columnist has a brand. This is true in just about every field, and is doubly true for your organization:
- You will pay more for a name-brand computer than a clone. (And you'll pay more for an Apple computer than a name-brand PC.)
- You will pay more for a name-brand advisor than a no-name one.
- And on the personal front, you will pay more for a big-name rock concert than a no-name group of musicians playing at the local pub.
While price itself is part of brand signaling, the underlying question is how to imbue value to your organization's brand. The answer has nothing to do with your strategy, your marketing tactics or your logo.
Building brand value is directly derived from your organization's values. This means:
- Having a clear set of underlying values.
- Communicating these values, internally and externally.
- Living those values every day — from the board and staff leadership, to the front line and your volunteers.
- Building processes and systems that reinforce these values.
- Rewarding values-enhancing behaviors.
Missing even one of these bullets renders them one step short of useless. A case in point: Many organizations have codified values (as in "mission/vision/values") that have been generated through a strategic-planning process. But ask your staff (or your volunteers) what these values are (let alone what they mean), and you will likely draw a blank stare.
This week's action plan: What is true for the organization, is doubly true for you as an individual. This week, spend some time looking in the mirror: Have you even considered writing down your values? And what are you doing to live your values, and thereby grow your personal brand? Do it right, and you won't just be a capable reporter, you'll become a great columnist.
Marketing insight: Organizations that are strong on the inside are also strong on the outside. The more aligned each person is within the organization, the more powerful the organization's brand will be. This has implications for recruiting, orientation, management style, member service, programming — everything.
