Basic business principles dictate that a business is established to meet a need. You’ve discovered that the working class in Bulawayo for instance; loves fast food for lunch, so you decide to open your own joint. Good for you! But…you soon discover that there are actually other businesses offering the same services as you, and competition is stiff so you need to stand out. We live in a fast-paced environment that demands more than the ‘basics’ for a brand to thrive and become a living legacy.
Let’s start with the basics of brand building; this is a process of raising awareness, promoting products, or simply engaging your targeted audience to establish a connection with them in their day-to-day lives. Brand builders are committed to not only growing a profitable business but also building a brand that leaves a demonstrable mark in the industry and impacts people’s lives for years to come. This entails possessing a number of leadership qualities.
Having a clear vision of the industry and where you want to go is important. Brand builders see past their competitors tried and tested layouts. They see the loopholes in the industry, creating opportunities for growth. When Strive Masiyiwa came onto the telecoms playing field, he introduced cross-network calling, something that was unique in the industry. In Zimbabwe, Econet is the pioneer of 3G (2009), 4G (2013), and 5G (in early 2022) services. They also pioneered mobile money services under the name EcoCash. The business, taps into many fields, demonstrating a bigger vision.
Brand builders create a connection with their clientele. They motivate and engage people, conveying that vision and getting them excited about it. This means maintaining a positive yet realistic presence. I can easily refer to leading radio stations in the country – they package their content centered on the daily struggles of the average person. Talk of relatable content! Before you know it, you have motivated your audience to look forward to what you have sold them, they recommend, endorse and become brand ambassadors without even realizing it because they are connected and feel like they actually relate to the brand.
Brand builders usually have a keen eye and ear for the needs of their audience. This enables them to search relentlessly and come up with ideas that bring about ease in the industry. They can follow through revelling in bringing their ideas to life. Poultry feed businesses like Hamara, Novafeed, and Feedmix scored big on this when they introduced home deliveries on feed purchases. These businesses also incorporated free training classes for their farmers and they also give out record-keeping templates, so their farmers are able to track the progress of their poultry.
Brand builders are also authentic and self-aware individuals, which allows them to embrace their authentic leadership style. ‘Know Thine Self’. This allows you to do your best work, leaning on your strengths and outsourcing on the weak ends. For example, agro-companies like Hamara and Winpat bring on experienced farmers with success stories to share practical work on what they do that helps them excel and get bumper harvests. From this exposure, these businesses afford themselves the chance to learn and grow from others without forgetting who they are.
There is a magnetic connection between knowing yourself and open-mindedness. When you know yourself, you are not threatened by another person’s capability or strengths. It is also from open-mindedness that you can welcome the creativity of other people. Brand builders are open to new perspectives. They listen, observe, and often bring in fresh eyes and vibrant minds to inspire new ideas and think outside the box. Think of Zimbabwe’s first electric car (with zero tailpipe carbon emissions) by ZERA which was launched at the ZITF in 2022. This was a display of harnessing the talent of young people and their capability to save the planet with environmentally friendly innovations. It is a mandate of brand builders to have young people who are disruptive of old systems on their team.
Flexibility and adaptability in life are important qualities to have, knowing that sometimes things don’t always go as planned. To be a successful brand builder, you must be prepared to stop and reassess a new path upon encountering roadblocks. Brand builders embrace the ever-changing nature of business and meet the obstacles with a flexible attitude while also inspiring adaptation to those around them. The COVID-19 pandemic hit businesses the hardest. EcoCash maneuvered this by actively automating its critical customer support system through launching self-service platforms, hence, curbing the spread of the virus by minimizing person-to-person contact. Businesses such as Delta Beverages and Pepsi also increased home and high-density suburb tuckshop deliveries of their products all over the country.
Brand builders possess strategic and critical thinking. Have you ever noticed the strategic location of Simbisa Brands’ food outlets throughout the country? They are located in the CBD, busy track routes, and food courts where there are guaranteed high traffic volumes. We all know that bus spirit that grips you when you’re traveling; you’re just bound to take a turn into Chicken Inn and grab yourself a bite.
Dear brand builder, lastly, you need to be patient and tenacious! You must take the long view with visions and strategy without getting frustrated or swayed by obstacles. You must have a forecast of projects years into the future with set deadlines to ensure you are growing, one step at a time, towards your vision.
