While working on this series, suddenly it struck me that we are talking about the DIY Brand Audits but then it doesn’t mean that we all will be able to assess all the spheres of Branding.

Like most of my technology clients only talk about their color preferences when we ask them about the identity. Some even come up with answers like ‘no idea’ when we ask them about what is their idea behind the brand? I am sure people like those, cannot do a Brand Audit and we hope to help them through this post.

This is post 6 in the series.

Like we have discussed & detailed already, doing a Brand Audit needs assessment on the business intent, the brand vision, mission and philosophy. The external brand features like the logo, collaterals, the communication and the social media.  We did mention that the stakeholders should be a part of Audit but we need to streamline – who audits what? And that makes it all the more important to understand – who should Audit the Brand?

The stakeholders shall include – the leaders, the top management, and the middle level employees to meet the clients and look over the day to day operations. We shall also include the sales people who move out and meet the clients, watch out the competition pretty closely, the business partners, associates, vendors and employees. Everybody will have something to contribute & share. Though it is very important for you to know your brand first and there are few points which can help you figure that out.

• Strengths and weaknesses of the product.
• Market positioning and the competitors
• Expected latest industry trends
• Target market and Product niche
• Pricing, quality of service and other advantage of your product.
• Use of the website and its purpose.
• Market competition

An Auditor shall,

Have complete knowledge about the brand.

Shall not be complacent about certain areas of the brand and over enthusiastic about others.

S/he should be keen to have an overall view of the brand.

Know the organization design, hierarchy and functional ability. Else the audit would largely be a result of external brand audit.

Who should include the Audit team?

Should include people with the following traits:

Someone who knows the operations

A leader, who understand the brand values

Someone who interacts closely with the employee

One who is updated with the market conditions and competitive brands

Someone with a flair for design and understand branding

They need to assess it all.  The brand competency as per the market, the staff who is acting as the brand ambassadors, the brand messages and what kind of connection they are making with the customers – are they blunt or they are triggering emotions. Is it working on the Brand Values which the leaders incepted or they need to re-work on it.

Remember, a brand audit is like a SWOT analysis of the Brand Identity Prism, which captures the personal identity, the culture, class, relationship, physical attributes, Customer Insight and Individual Reflection of a brand.