On February 15th we hosted a brand workshop for SMEs who have recently been through a high growth programme at MMU Business School. The workshop aimed to help the attendees consider how a strong brand delivers tangible business benefits, what their brand is about and how to uncover and then exploit their uniqueness. After a brief introduction and some case studies explaining what makes a brand a Superbrand, the ambitious entrepreneurs were put to work considering why their brand should be considered a business Superbrand.
It was quite a revelation to discover that people assume branding is for larger companies and therefore they, as SMEs don’t need to focus on it – it was Clock’s job to change this perception and encourage them to think of their brand as the DNA of their business.
We focused on three areas; Quality, Distinction and Reliability. Using some creative tools (no powerpoint or laptop in sight) we asked them to start answering some fundamental questions about their business to unravel what they sell. Those selling product initially thought they were selling products, when they thought about why their customers buy from them, they soon realized their USP was to be found in the ‘softer’ side of the business, such as their level of knowledge, their bespoke solutions etc. One company provides construction services that save lives, they are an essential part of road transport safety yet they market themselves as engineers. For them, thinking about the emotional elements of their brand rather than only the rational was a real eye-opener. There was an air of concentration in the room and everyone took on the difficult task with great enthusiasm.
There were some fantastic insights revealed, areas for development noted, and one company decided to use the exercise for a training session so their staff “lived and breathed the brand as well”.
As a conclusion to the event each person was invited to talk through their board and their findings. Judging followed with prizes for the top three brands – first prize was a copy of the Superbrands Annual, which we hope will prove inspirational for the winner.
The event was run in conjunction with NW Insider Magazine and the MMU Business School. A full write up of the event will be featured in NW Insider in their March issue.
