Cementing the Bricks of a Legacy Brand

Most companies won’t last the decade, let alone the century. So how do you beat the odds and create a legacy brand people know for generations? This episode of Faithful on the Clock uses Jesus’ approach to storytelling to give you some solid guidelines. Timestamps:[00:05] - Intro[00:44] - Definition of a brand[01:07] - Branding is just about differentiation, but leaders get caught between how to respond to the changing world and maintain the differentiation they’ve already established. [01:45] - Jesus told many parables on the same theme. He changed the story approach, but not the core concept.[03:05] - Building a legacy brand works the same way as Jesus did with his storytelling. You find your value proposition or core idea and then just cling to that, adapting the messaging rather than the theme.[03:50] - Jesus was very good at turning to His history--the history of Israel--to guide his decisions.[04:57] - Like Jesus, lean on your history. Use it as guardrails when making branding decisions.[05:45] - Keeping good records, democratizing your data, and putting a CBO on your board all are practical ways to ensure you maintain your brand voice over time.[06:58] - Summary of points[07:15] - Prayer[08:11] - Outro/what’s coming up nextKey takeaways:A brand is simply how you differentiate yourself in the market. Companies can have one or more brands.The conundrum for today’s leaders is how to stay true to their brand’s original value proposition while still serving customers in a way that’s relevant to the time.Jesus often used multiple parables to get the same point across. He never changed the core theme.Branding in terms of building legacy works the same way as Jesus’ storytelling approach. You can change the analogies or approach, but you don’t mess with the central core.Jesus routinely leaned on His history to make sure He stayed true to his purpose and to correct both people and Satan.Just as Jesus looked back at His history, look at the history of your company for guardrails. If the new messaging honors that history, then you’re probably safe.Good strategies that can help you build a legacy brand are keeping good records, democratizing your data, and putting a Chief Brand Officer on your board.Relevant Links:CTAs:Lean into your brand’s value proposition and use your company’s history to decide whether changes to your messaging are appropriate. Change the parable, not the theme.What’s coming up next: Business is serious stuff, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with your team. Episode 14 of the Faithful on the Clock podcast explores why you should include some silliness and play in your operations, as well as some strategies for letting it all loose.