Building Your Reputation Capital Through Branding
credit: Frederick Walter

Building Your Reputation Capital Through Branding

7 Behavioral Drivers to Know for Real Estate or any Profession

“Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

Clark Gable’s classic line from “Gone with the Wind” helped build the actor’s leading-man brand over his long career.

While building your reputation capital may be a choice, public relations, in general, is not optional. It’s involuntary. Whether or not an organization, company, or individual has invested in a reputation management campaign, a public image has been formed—real or perceived.

A fundamental key to successful reputation management is communicating the right message to the right audience using the best medium. The message. The market. The medium. All are interrelated and cannot be thoroughly determined without consideration of the others. Awareness and recognition create attitudes and opinions, which then influence actions and behaviors.

Beyond the basics, there are many disciplines inherent in building reputation capital. Branding is one all-important element, a visceral function that a business has been building since its inception.

Behavioral Drivers and Brand Valuation

There are several factors relative to the valuation of a company’s brand. Behavioral drivers such as influence in the marketplace, credibility, longevity in the industry, and name recognition all affect a brand. It's not only about what's real, but what's perceived. Brand valuation is also based on the customer experience and the quality of products and services, as well as who an organization or individual chooses to associate with in terms of affinity programs, joint ventures and partnerships.

New initiatives can increase the value of a company’s brand, while assuring that you’re still relevant to clients and germane to how they do business.

Communications Audit

Before embarking on a good branding campaign, a key question should be addressed: Have your company’s core identity and core competencies changed? Maybe not, but many organizations need to articulate more effectively who they are and what they stand for. That's where mission and vision statements play a role. How companies express this core identity to target markets can change over time.

These issues can be addressed through a communications audit and SWOT analysis, a checks and balances assessment of an organization’s position in the industry and its real versus perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Addressing any differences is a sound strategy and is part of a communications model that includes strong branding and connects with key audiences repeatedly.

Good branding is not a luxury; it’s often a necessity for survival and success.

Give a damn.

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by R. J. Sirois

Insights from the community

Others also viewed

Explore topics