Feelings & Trust

Branding is not merely of differentiating products; it's about striking an emotional chord with consumers.  It is about cultivating identity, attachment and trust to inspire customer loyalty.   - Nirmalya Kumar

There is quite a bit to unpack here!  Maybe it is my nonbusiness brain, but I remember branding being a logo.  A graphic that identified who you are, creating an association between a symbol and what you do or sell.  Truly taking that ranching practice and making it work for whatever industry.  This quote as well as the writings of other marketing gurus makes branding almost necessary for schools.  Branding has moved quite a ways from the ranching practice to something very afftective in nature (which the cow would probably much prefer).

We probably all have our little clip art mascot we use from the website (although, I'd assert we'd need something more professional, but that is another post...), but in our day of reduced credibility, increased choice and skepticism of public education it is vital that we strike that emotional chord with our community in order to build trust.  This comes in the way we communicate with parents, the experiences we provide students, the opportunities we provide for the school community to connect, and the intentionality with which we share/tell our story.  Summing those things up, the only way to strike that emotional chord is to build relationships!  In that, trust is built upon being true and consistent to our word, our mission and our vision.  We all know that trust is gained over time and many positive experiences and can be lost/broken in a heartbeat.

How is your campus/classroom striking the emotional chord with parents and community to build trust?

Happy posting!

B