The Best Brands Are Strong Finishers

I was on the phone with an erstwhile colleague this past week and something popped out of my mouth that actually had some value. (That happens from time to time and is, I think, what keeps me in this crazy business.)

“Mike,” I said, “the difference between strong brands and irrelevant ones is that the strong ones know how to finish. They’re able to close the loop with the customer.”

I wrote it down at the time, somewhat amused with myself. But I didn’t realize how many times I would refer back to that concept while in conversations with clients, vendors and new business prospects.

You see, I’ve built an entire career around the idea of helping clients make and keep promises about their brands – but I always assumed they would want to tell people about their accomplishments. After all, if you don’t publicly acknowledge the efforts you’ve made to meet those expectations, who else will feel obligated to do so?

In short, you have to finish what you start.

Now, I realize this sounds like I’m making a case for public preening and self-congratulation. That’s not the case. In fact, what I’m saying is that part of every communications plan needs to account for effectively communicating what’s been accomplished. Consider it to be the next generation of the “discovery” process. You need to re-asses what’s been done and what remains undone before you can re-calibrate your plan and head off on another expedition.

And that lead to my observation of how great brands “finish.” They do it effortlessly and, sometimes, with a sense of altruism. “We’ve come so far and have so far left to go,” seems to be the message they send.

This constant self-evaluation has as dramatic an effect inside the organization as it does with external customers. Employees who are exposed to this kind of cultural bias begin to evaluate everything they do in terms of the relationship their company (or brand) has to maintain with customers, suppliers and shareholders. The result is a self-reliant workforce that acts on its own for the common good of the company.

And those kinds of companies are easier to manage, more creative, more productive and – ultimately – more profitable.

Having trouble finishing?
Some people are naturals when it comes to a strong finish. But others really struggle with the concept. Why is that?

My dad used to say that the 90/10 rule applied to work just like it applied to customers. You can get 90% of the job done with just 10% of the effort, but the last 10% usually requires (at least) the remaining 90% of the effort to complete. But my dad was an excellent finisher. Somehow he always managed to find new energy and enthusiasm for that last 10% and his employees (or family or scouts or whatever) would rise to the occasion as a result.

Finishing is tied to leadership and motivation. But my dad realized something (maybe innately, I’m not sure) about a strong finish – it built momentum and enthusiasm for the next big project.

In short, it built brand value.

Finishing is tough. There’s no question about it. That’s why it’s important to have the right team around you (the folks that can do the job), make sure they’re motivated and keep everyone in the loop.

You can build a communications program that facilitates all of that, but the real gold is in finding the right chemistry among your colleagues to make finishing the most enjoyable part of the job.