These four simple things can increase the value of your brand

The best time to start was a year ago. The second-best time is now. Of course, I’m paraphrasing the famous Chinese proverb about planting trees. But the sentiment is true whether you’re talking trees, reading more, drinking less or adding value to your brand.

So, start doing these simple things today and over the next year and watch the value stored in your brand overflow. Let’s get started.

Share a 60-second story

At the start of every meeting, share a short example of how a core value was put to work. For example: “Yesterday, when Joe did X, it was an example (or not) of our value Y.” That’s it. Think about how many meetings you have a day … the stories will quickly become go-to examples people can refer to anytime and reinforce the values as more than a poster on the wall.

Pick one thing

Choose one not-too-big, how-you-do-something that is out of sync with what’s most important to you. And fix it. I’m assuming you know what’s most important — if not, read this.

Maybe your newsletter auto-reply message to people who sign up is generic. Perhaps your product packaging could use a more personal touch than a crumpled express post bag. What about adding an unexpected zinger to your proforma interview questions? Once that’s on track, pick the next thing.

Talk to a customer 

Check in about their experience buying from you. Don’t send a survey. Don’t email. Call and talk to one customer a week. There’s always a chance they won’t want to talk to you. But mostly, people welcome genuine interest. Ask, “what was your experience like?” You’ll hear more personal and helpful advice than a month of tick-and-flick surveys.

Write a note 

People from all walks of business have long sent thank-you notes after meetings, sales or projects. The power move of super successful types, it’s a true example of small stuff that packs an outsize punch. So, take a page out of their book and turn inwards. Write a note and thank a co-worker. Research abounds on the impact of people feeling unseen at work. And a physical note is more memorable than a passing comment (or go the whole thank you and do both).

So bust up the hierarchy and thank the CEO for steering the org through a rough patch, the colleague who helped finish the report, and the guy who empties the trash. Write on a Postit, the back of a discarded photocopy, or a card. Genuine sentiment doesn’t need a fancy wrapper.

Avoid over-promising

Whether the promise is about your product, how much people like to work for you or buy from you, don’t fall into the over-promising trap. I get it. Saying you’ll do more than you can is more tempting than that last piece of chocolate. But don’t do it. Nothing strip-mines value faster than over-promising. So instead, get real(istic), keep the promise you make, then repeat and watch people’s confidence in you bloom.

And there you have it: four small acts that will add value to your brand and the one thing to avoid.

Articles and books touting the benefits of small things done repeatedly are plentiful. I recently saw a headline saying, “think tall, but start small”, which I love because the unheroic work I talk about isn’t about low bars or diminished ideas.

Every organisation that has a brand overflowing with value got there through continued and sustained effort across small acts and decisions repeated daily.

However, getting started is the easy part. Keeping going is the test. Easy to tell a 60-second story about a value put to work once. However, doing it when time is short, when people are overwhelmed and struggling to solve a particularly prickly problem … well, there’s always next time or next year.

A brand’s value only accumulates through the deliberate and continuing effort of people’s unheroic work. Focus there and watch those acts ripple into unexpected places, turning into value you can use in other places.