This is a series of practical steps whereby you can utilize branding and design thinking to strengthen your business no matter your budget.
This episode is part of a four-part series. We're starting off having a look at brand design with opportunities #nobudget.
Cleanliness
Keep a close eye on shelves, floors and everything else prone to dust, spills and mess. A quick wipe every now and then makes a big difference over the span of a day, especially with the constant flow of customers in and out. This applies to every touchpoint. Islam promotes cleanliness so doing so gets you extra reward. After all, who doesn’t like cleanliness? So it raises liking which is always good for branding. It simultaneously conveys consistency which reinforces your brand promise.
The Brand Culture
It helps to educate your staff on your brand culture and provide refresher courses from time to time. Even test them if necessary. New employees can benefit from early workshop drills on your culture. This way, your organization speaks one language reinforcing your brand. Loyalty on the part of your ideal customer will definitely build up and soon you'll have customers that will not only be loyal to your brand, but will market it for you. It only gets better! Build a sound culture upon Islamic values. Not only does it reinforce a strong Islamic identity and brand, but you’ll obtain extra rewards due to your upkeep of Islamic values.
Brand Fit
In the long run, you don’t want to work with people that will wear your business down. Therefore, it pays to do some research and with social media at our disposal, there are no more excuses. Not only would you save time, money and resources but you want to work with people who love what they do and share your culture. Maintaining a strong identity requires strong boundaries. Islamically, the dimension broadens a bit: Muslims say yes to the obedience of Allah and no to the disobedience of Allah. This is the standard by which your identity is measured—in this world and the next. A brand identity is no different, so it pays to hire someone befitting.
Tidy Up
It happens to all of us. Things can get stressful during the day and we might leave or forget to tidy up the office, stock or merchandise. Do your best to instill a culture of tidiness. Think about how often you may have walked (or driven) passed a store or section of a store because of its disorganization or plain mess. It leaves an impression on the mind of the onlooker or the potential buyer. Small acts of random tidiness reinforces your differentiation which in turn makes it difficult for larger organizations to duplicate.
Answer The Call
Pay careful attention to how customers are treated over the phone. Do you have a consistent voice? Educate your employees on how the company sounds to ensure brand consistency. Not answering a call, is also communication; and so is following up and addressing the needs of your customer. Remember that your customers have chosen your business over your competitors, so take care of them. This is where “going the extra mile” is relevant. The Prophet was sent to perfect good character. This is one of the foremost elements that attracted onlookers to Islam. Again, if you perfect this, it’s difficult to copy. This can be a means of customers retention.
The Barakah
Amongst the wealthiest of the kufaar have realized increases in their wealth when they give in charity, unknowingly fulfilling Allah's laws and getting rewarded for it. The obligatory Zakaah and voluntary sadaqah earn Muslims barakah multi times over—in this life and the next. Your brand today is the foundations you lay for your eternal life in the Akhirah. So make use of it. For the recipient of your good, they are not only grateful but they are likely to make dua for the one who has aided them: you.
Be On Time
Nothing ruins a brand reputation quicker than being late. Once or twice is the exception but doing it often is not acceptable. It would be off-brand. Islam teaches punctuality and the value of time (Al ‘Asr). The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said, "Allah said, 'The son of Adam hurts me for he abuses Time though I am Time: in My Hands are all things, and I cause the revolution of day and night.'—Bukhari It is not befitting for the Muslim to not be appreciate of time as time is a creation of Al' Khaliq. Be on time or your brand will suffer.
Honour Your Promises
This is probably the single biggest brand destroyer. One of the core elements of branding is your brand promise. Apart from your purpose and your culture, it is what holds the brand together. Islam enjoins keeping promises. “Yes, whoever fulfills his pledge and fears Allah much; verily, then Allah loves those who are Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)”—Quran 3:76 Always deliver on your promise. If you don’t, trust between you and your customer may disintegrate, loose business and finally be taken up on it by Allah:
“And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily! the covenant, will be questioned about”—Quran 17:34
Guard Your Reputation
Your brand is an accumulation of the sum actions of your business. A good reputation will harness good relationships, and therefore good returns. It’s an ongoing cycle, so be careful of how you or your employees conduct yourselves in public. And as a Muslim, good conduct carries even more weight as it is emphasized as a core Islamic trait. Muslims don’t have the problem of the often referred to problem of work/life balance in the West because Islam is a perfect system and complete way of life. Islam guards against displaying sins publicly, because it corrupts society. Hide your sins, do good, keep your promises, guard your reputation.
Good Character
The decisive factor in our purpose of life is that Allah wants to see who is the best in character amongst his creation: character towards Him and then to the rest of creation. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam) said he has come to perfect character. So knowledge of Allah, Islam, personal development and Islamic growth are prerequisites. Leaders in contemporary times often gets considered as exemplary in character. However, most don't fulfill the rights of Allah nor the guidance of the Prophet. You are your organization’s walking brand, therefore it is incumbent upon you to learn, adopt and embody the true character of a Muslim.
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