How to Ensure That Your Brand Survives

Recently, the local newspaper ran a series of articles on companies that almost went out of business in 2009 but made modifications that got them back on the path to success. The brands represented in the articles varied greatly and spanned different industries; a few included a builder, consulting firm, lighting company and manufacturing business.

The home builder switched from building million dollar, custom homes to slightly smaller, less expensive homes with many of the luxury materials of his million dollar homes. The fiber optic lighting company changed its focus to energy efficient products for existing rather than new buildings. The consulting firm expanded its business consulting services and its market by offering training, while the manufacturing firm overhauled many of its processes and slashed profit margins.

Despite the range of tactics these organizations employed to survive, they all had one thing in common. They changed how their brands approached the market to adapt to the economic environment and were successful because they retained their brand essence, who they were.

Once an organization knows who it is and what its unique claims of distinction are, it has the solid foundation it needs to grow its brand and make it strong. That foundation doesn't change; it allows an organization to build on it and easily make adaptations when the going gets tough. It's what every organization needs to survive - and grow.