Saturday, November 26 had been designated as Small Business Saturday. A tip of the hat to small businesses in the United States. A time when we remember that there are more small businesses and more people working for small businesses than larger ones. As a small business owner I take pride in what I do and respect others who have started from scratch. It is a challenging, but rewarding process. Anything good should be.
But having a Saturday or any other day to pay homage does not make or break a brand. A sustainable brand is based on your mission (purpose), core values (guiding principles) and stakeholder engagement (working with our brand champions). One reason that many large and small businesses do not survive is because they begin and end with the bottom line. Of course that is a part of the process, but never forgetting who you are, what you stand for and getting your employees and customers involved helps ensure success.
Despite our down economy and the fears that it brings, this is a great time for everyone to go through an introspective process and understand what is important. If that means starting a small business great. If that means staying with a large business bravo. It is all about aligning your internal culture with your external reputation. That is branding. An event the day after Black Friday, two days after Thanksgiving and two days before Cyber Monday is not.
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