Part 2 – Field Guide 

Your Brand Health Check

Brands are the sum of the impressions you create at every customer touchpoint; from your advertising to the way you answer your phone, the cleanliness of your buildings, vehicles and bathrooms, your warranty and return policies, to the way you empower your staff to resolve customer conflicts.

This quick “Brand Health Check” created by marketing consultant firm ENS Media, is a great guide to periodically check that your brand and business are on track to succeed.

Simply rate each question on a scale of 1 to 5:   

5 = always

4 = almost always (95% of the time)

3 = usually (75% of the time)

2 = not sure

1 = no      

1.) Does your product and/or service consistently over-deliver on your advertised promises?  Score _____

2.) Does your staff clearly understand your brand identity and mission?  Score _____

3.) Is your staff empowered to make decisions provided they are consistent with your brand?   Score _____

4.) If we stopped 100 people on the street to ask them, “what’s the first thing you think of” when we name your business would a significant portion of them give the answer you would hope?  Score _____

5.) Is your advertising and marketing clearly and substantially different from your competitors’?   Score _____

6.) Can you verify that your competitive difference is one that is clearly relevant to your target customers? Do you know your customers’ expectations?    Score _____

7.) Has your brand promotion been consistent long enough to be embedded in your prospects’ minds?  Score _____

8.) Is your logo, slogan, music, color choice, advertising, merchandising and promotions consistent in everything you do?  Score _____

9.) Have you conducted customer follow-up surveys, mystery-shopped your business, and monitored online chatter about your business to ensure the public’s perception of you is the perception you are attempting to achieve?  Score _____

10.) Are the suppliers and promotional partners you align with compatible with your brand?  Score _____

11.) Does your advertising positively reach out and touch your prospects’ feelings and emotions before they are in the market for what you sell?  Score _____

12.) Is what people say about you online consistent with the brand you want?  Score _____

13.)  Do your buildings, restrooms, and vehicles send a professional message to your community of potential customers?  Score _____

14.) Is your advertising more powerful than your competitors’; both in terms of the feelings it creates and the offers you extend?  Score _____

15.) Have you stayed true to your brand in everything you do and promote?  Score _____

16.) Do you follow a strategic advertising, promotions, and communications plan to promote your brand?  Score _____

17.) Does your brand deliver at every touchpoint and do you periodically monitor those touchpoints?      Score _____

18.) Do your customers know what you stand for and how you give back to the community you serve?  Score _____

19.) Does your advertising frequency (amount of advertising you do) match or beat the competition?  Score _____

20.) Do your promotions and special events complement and enhance your brand?  Score _____

Total Score   __________

100       You’re kidding yourself!!!  Nobody’s perfect.

90-99   Your brand is successful. Now look for ways to improve your weakest links. 

80-89   *You’re doing better than the average business, but you need to put an action plan in place to improve your score.

< 80    *You know you have a lot of work ahead of you. Rome was not built in a day.         

*Consider hiring an outside expert/consultant to analyze your business.