Your employees should know your Brand--what you stand for. We've written on this before, but it is just a vital concept for small business success. As we discussed in an earlier article, following process and procedures is important, staff training is a must, but there comes a time when you must trust you employees in the field to do what is right and make a decision on their own that is in accord with what the company brand stands for.

It's at this critical point that their training in proper procedures is most helpful, but sometimes they are faced with questions outside of strict training or procedural guidelines. Here they need to make the right decision--for the customer and the company. It's at these junctures that a solid working knowledge of what the company stands for can help them make the best choice.

And understanding the company brand starts with your Achievers.

Your junior staff will follow the example they see the Achievers set. The Achievers must intimately understand what your company's Brand represents--they need to also recognize that this knowledge can help them make a decision.

It sounds basic, but your customers' impression of what your Brand is--what your company stands for--will be far more influenced by what your staff does during a tough situation than through all your advertising. This is especially true for a small business on a limited marketing budget.

When customers and staff agree on what your Brand means, then you can trust that decisions your staff makes will truly be in the best interest of the company. Will those staff decisions be exactly what you would do? No, but they'll be close enough.

Occasionally they will even be better.

Remember: Brand (who you are) + Package (your Face to the Customer) + People (customers and employees) = Marketing Success.

2006 Marketing Hawks