For any company, branding is critically important it reflects and shapes relationships with its stakeholders customers, media, investors. Branding could mean the difference between success and failure. Just found an interesting article from author of author of Asian Brand Strategy: How Asia Builds Strong Brands, Martin Roll presenting 10 crucial steps for succesful corporate branding strategy:

1. The CEO needs to lead the brand strategy work

The board room is the starting point of a corporate branding strategy with the CEO backed by a strong brand management team of senior contributors.

2. Build your own model

As not every model suits all, even the best and most comprehensive branding models have to be tailored to meet business’s own set of values.

3. Involve your stakeholders

This way you can obtain a fair picture of the current business landscape including the current brand image, positioning and any critical paths ahead. Value the voices of your customers, employees and other stakeholders.

4. Advance the corporate vision

The corporate branding strategy allows management to involve, educate and align everyone around the corporate objectives, values and future pathway.

5. Exploit new technology

Modern technology should play a part in a successful corporate branding strategy. Technology contributes to improving effectiveness and improving the competitive edge of the corporation.

6. Empower people to become brand ambassadors

The most effective way to turn employees into brand ambassadors is to train everyone adequately in the corporate brand strategy (vision, values and personality etc.) making sure they fully understand and believe! what exactly the corporation aims to be in the minds of its customers and stakeholders.

7. Create the right delivery system

The corporate brand is the face of the business strategy and basically it promises what all stakeholders should expect from the corporation. Therefore, the delivery of the right products and services should be carefully scrutinized and evaluated on performance before any corporation starts a corporate branding project.

8. Communicate!

To bring the corporate brand to life one needs to implement a range of well-planned, well-executed marketing activities, ensuring the overall messages are consistent, clear and relevant to the target audiences.

9. Measure the brand performance

The brand equity consists of various individually tailor-made key performance indicators (including the financial brand value) needs to be tracked regularly. A brand score card can help facilitate an overview of the brand equity and which gauge progress as the strategy is implemented.

10. Adjust relentlessly and be ready to raise your own bar all the times

A corporate brand should stay relevant, differentiated and consistent throughout time, so it is crucial to adjust to the changing business landscape.

Read the full article: 10 Steps For Successful Corporate Branding