21 Oct 2011 7:53 PM

We know we’ve been banging on about branding a lot lately, but after the recent passing of Apple founder, Steve Jobs, we couldn’t let this month go by without reflecting on one of the most influential brands of our time.

There are few people in the Western world who don’t own at least one Apple product. We work on iMacs; we communicate using iPhones; iTunes governs the way we listen to and purchase music and watch movies; iBooks gives us the world’s biggest library at our fingertips; the App store is a godsend for parents of preschoolers on long-haul flights.

Apple is the number one brand in the world, worth $153 billion. And it has got there by making technology stylish, functional and covetable.

This is a brand that makes headlines around the world when they release a new product, such is the ‘must have’ value of its wares. Witness the mob scenes when Apple recently launched the iPhone 4S in Sydney.

But what is it about the Apple brand that is so successful? What qualities does it sell that makes it so appealing? And what can lessons can small businesses learn from it?

Apple has a branding strategy that focuses on the emotions. The Apple brand personality is about lifestyle; imagination; liberty regained; innovation; passion; hopes, dreams and aspirations; and power-to-the-people through technology.

It’s also about simplicity and the removal of complexity from people's lives; and people-driven product design.

The thing about Apple is that they ‘get’ branding is all about consistency. It’s about knowing your brand values and living and breathing them in every single aspect of what you do.

From their products; to advertising; to their web presence; to product packaging; to shop fit-out; to the attitude of their staff – Apple understands the importance of aligning ideals and outputs.

This kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident – it takes effort, commitment and, above all, focus.

And that’s the key to successful branding. Once you have established your brand values, you need to keep them in mind with everything you do as a business – and, indeed, as the people behind that business.

The Apple brand values are espoused at every level of the company – staff  ‘live by’ certain beliefs and visions. They know the only way to achieve brand excellence is by creating a culture with a shared understanding of its values.

Right about now you may be saying ‘well, that’s all very well for Apple – they’ve got $153 billion to devote to getting it right’, but good branding isn’t just for big guns.

If you’re serious about your brand, your people need to be on board. It’s no good positioning yourself, for example, as friendly, personal and local if the first contact someone has with your business is a staff member who has little local knowledge and is more interested in her iPhone than a friendly chat.

Because the user experience is a key part of brand building, Apple proves that by keeping the customer experience top of mind from product development to selling its technology.

Going back to that example: if your goal is to be seen as friendly, personal and local then think of customer interactions that support that. And document them. Make them a core, non-negotiable part of the way your business operates. Walk the talk.

For example, perhaps you want to make sure staff greet potential customers promptly and in a pleasant manner. Then make it a ‘rule’ that customers are greeted within 15 seconds of entering the store.

You can even be more specific – suggest wording to staff members, particularly if you’re keen to avoid certain phrases – i.e. “Hi guys!” or “You right?”

If you want to be seen as personal, then introduce a system to record customer preferences and taste – don’t rely on memory – make it shared knowledge.

Micro-management? Maybe. But this is the kind of detail that’s sometimes needed – at least initially – when it comes to establishing a brand.

Whatever you decide are the right strategies for your business, make sure they’re implemented consistently across the board.

Because, even though Apple may be a $153 billion company, and yours is yet to make your first million, the principles remain the same. Get your branding right and you’re well on your way to becoming a household name!