In this article we look at How Workers Can Affect Your Brand Identity in Marketing.
I’ve done a lot of work, from digging wells to cooking for governors, and now, Digital Marketing.
When I was younger, at my first job for my grandfather’s company, I was left with an axe and told to remove a stump from the ground.
I was around seven or maybe eight. After a while of chopping away, I got tired and wanted to take a break. Well, that wasn’t my grandfather’s way. In our family, we didn’t sit down unless we were at the table with the client or until the job was finished.
Back then, I didn’t fully understand the meaning behind it. While I could complain and call it child abuse, it taught me a work ethic I’ve never been able to shake.
Whether I worked at KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), a fine dining restaurant, or helped a friend put up a retaining wall, I didn’t rest until my tasks were complete. This mindset has made me ideal for businesses.
Over time, I learned what it stood for. Now that I’m getting into marketing, I’ve realized this work ethic translates well to every client we serve. Brand identity is more than just a logo, even though that’s important. One often overlooked factor is the people who represent the brand.
Working at Blue Sky Advertisement has taught me a lot about how building other contractor companies’ brands starts from not only how contractors envision their ideal business model, but how they interact with their employees.
Your Workers’ Impact on Your Brand
You can’t control their personal lives, which is why it’s crucial to screen them thoroughly during the interview process.
I’ll leave the kitchen references behind after this, but in kitchens, most don’t care if you’re a tough person, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your work.
Even then, it’s not always frowned upon. On the other hand, if you try to get a job in an office with a criminal record, you’ll likely be rejected during the interview.
This speaks to the image a company wants to project. Are they looking for someone rough around the edges? Or someone who will fall in line with the brand’s efforts?
More often than not, it’s the latter. That’s just business. Would you rather try to make millions off the efforts of someone who can’t function in society or hire a top performer who breaks every rule you set, disrupting your brand’s standards?
Most of us, including myself, would choose the first option in most cases. Construction work? Maybe it depends. A software company? Definitely. Who you hire reflects your company.
While the news constantly bombards us with trauma and negativity, your customer are the one who initially chose you won’t forget the bad experiences. For example, I recently wanted bread from a local bakery that I used to walk past every day on my way to school.
I wasn’t a regular, but I loved their bread. I walked in to place an order and was suddenly yelled at by a staff member about new policies. Their attitude made me never want to return.
That small incident was enough for me to get bread from another bakery, one where I didn’t have to deal with rude staff, rather than placing a high-end order from the bakery I once loved.
A local bar in the same town offers a similar story about workers’ influence on branding. The owner wants to give up, and he’s left much of the decision-making to his employees.
Those same workers have turned the bar’s reputation into something negative, tarnishing the company’s image.
This is just one example, but the owner’s decision to hire ex-cons and less desirable workers has been their downfall.
How to Screen Your Potential Employees
Accountability in the face of adversity is essential. If someone is a top prospect but has a bad reputation, pay attention to their demeanor. If your business is straightforward, it’s okay to choose a more suitable candidate.
Choosing the right person depends on your company’s vision. Some independent workers are solid, but it’s not feasible to try to control them. A good friend of mine, who builds databases for government projects, hates working in an office despite his career choice.
When left alone, he can do the job of several people. However, when forced to work in a group, he struggles due to social anxiety.
His bosses are grateful to have him, but they wish they had asked the right questions during the interview process to understand this about him.
My brother works in sales, basically as a middleman for garage doors, both for businesses and homes. He used to be in the military. One day, an angry customer berated him over the phone.
My brother, unwilling to endure more disrespect, hung up. When the customer called back, my brother calmly said, “You won’t threaten me. I’ve seen and been through more than I care to remember, and I won’t tolerate your behavior.” Despite the tension, they managed to resolve the situation, sealing deals for the next three years.
My brother’s company is full of ex-military employees who were chosen because of their ability to make progress. The interviewers asked the right questions and knew when he’d stand his ground and when he’d step back.
It takes the right questions. You know your brand better than your candidates, and they won’t be offended if you’re thorough in your interview process.
Employees at the end of the day are the backbone of your business. Please make sure they understand what your goals and visions are so you can protect not only your brand’s reputation, but also the future of your business.
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Author Bio:
Hello my name is Benjamin Shriver and I am the copy writer at Blue Sky Advertisement. I was born and raised in Ohio and started my career as a chef for the first 10 years of my adult life. I found my passion for writing and wanted to spread my experiences to others in hopes they would learn from my mistakes and successes.