Brand Infatuation Builds Brand Capitalization

Retail brand missionaries focused on emphasizing valued attributes, declared target priorities, competitive strengths and determined measurements focus first and foremost on strengthening of leadership and measurement in the language of personal brand development.

Smart retail CMOs know that before they can build, shape, craft and curate their brand they must first hire, lead and bring all employees to personal brand excellence. A retail CMO’s personal brand leadership and company vision reflects, makes or breaks a company’s ability to build up brand-building efforts. As your retail brand mantle is a promise to consumers, each employee's personal brand in essence is a promise to your company, customers and stock holders.

Both personal and business brand promises must be as durable as steel, complementary with a gleaming, smart and burnished business heart for customers and team members. For example, your retail employees on the selling floor are surely viewed by your CMO as a direct extension and mirror of your brand posture and essence. In competitive reality, all potential new store hires, defined as your brand's most active and engaging consumer touch points, should be given a final interview with your company CMO. He or she will best recognize and grade their brand style, their brand essence, their durability and ability to fit with your company’s brand focus and position. This human capital brand extension from the CMO’s office to the last three feet of the sale is brand building and brand capitalization at its best.

To be clear, a brand as treated in conventional marketing wisdom is the essence of your company’s reputation. Your brand is not simply about the color or fabric of your retail store employees' shirts, jackets or logos. As your retail brand is a promise to multi-channel commerce, a promise revealed, monetized and measured through revenue/profit and share results, so are all of your employees a perfect reflection of your brands intended purpose.