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Do you ever think of selling your company one day? If so, the McDonald’s logo is something to consider

Even if you don’t believe you would ever sell your business, brand consistency, promise, experience, and image are vital. In short, they matter to the success of your company. I often hear small businesses can’t make a significant investment in branding. For instance, they lack sufficient funds. I also hear entrepreneurs say they don’t see the point. It’s not like they’re a global company like Nike or Coca-Cola. Still, others believe that creating a distinct brand strategy may limit opportunities for a broader audience.

If you’re an entrepreneur that thinks that way, I ask you to reconsider. The branding of your company, even if you’ve been in operation for a week, is vital to your success.

Early Days of McDonald’s

Have you ever seen McDonald’s with a purple logo or anything other than the golden arches? When you walk into a McDonald’s anywhere in the world, you know what you’re getting. And if you patronize those restaurants, that’s precisely why you do it.

Ray Kroc, a 54-year-old salesman, was looking for an opportunity to inspire him. He learned about the restaurant of Richard and Maurice McDonald, which developed a process for the food and delivered it to the customer within 30 seconds. This was a huge deal and the beginning of the fast-food industry. However, when they started working together, they were missing a broader vision and brand strategy.

Early McDonald’s Mistake

Kroc envisioned the opportunity to create a food company that was wholly American. In partnership with the McDonald brothers, he started operating out of the Midwest and the brothers in California. At first, Kroc created a franchise model to expand the company and grow it to scale quickly across the U.S. He made a mistake––it lacked the high-quality and overall consistency regarding the entire operation and systems that the McDonald brothers developed in California.

Once Kroc and the McDonald brothers brought control and consistency to the operation, from the brand promise, experience, and image to the services, activities, and services, it was only then that the McDonald’s restaurants started to develop. What Kroc ultimately brought to the McDonald’s picture is a consistent strategy across all franchises. That’s why you never see a McDonald’s brand image be anything other than the golden arches. With McDonald’s, what you see is what you get.

When the entire operation of McDonald’s was consistent across the board, and a customer in California received the same service and experience as another customer in the Midwest, it was only then that the McDonald’s brand started to get traction.

Benefits of Consistency

When your business is consistent with the brand promise, experience and image of your company, in its entirety, your target audience and customers understand:

  1. They will benefit from your business. They know your company’s value through your products and services.
  2. Your customers will know what to expect from a consistent brand. It’s not a guessing game, which means they will put their money down because they understand the offering.
  3. Customers, especially in the digital age, will share your brand because you consistently present yourself. 
  4. When customers understand your brand promise, image and experience, they are willing to pay for the value of what your products or services offer them. 

In short, you can’t not spend the money and invest your resources in communicating a consistent brand strategy. In fact, you must do it. Not having a comprehensive brand strategy adversely impacts your business’s bottom line. And that’s one of the reasons many start-ups fail. Customers do not understand the value of the products or services and don’t purchase them from businesses that make no sense or are inconsistent. Don’t make that mistake and learn from the McDonald’s logo.

 

Author of “Not Your Father’s Charity: Grip & Rip Leadership for Social Impact”(Free Digital Download)

© 2018 Wayne Elsey and Not Your Father’s Charity. All Rights Reserved.