We live in a highly visual world.
There’s more competition for our time and our attention than ever before. People are overwhelmed by the amount of commercial messaging they see and hear, so they often gravitate to brands they are familiar with and relate to. An organization’s brand is their personality. Every organization needs to get customers (and employees) to identify with their brand and ultimately form an emotional connection.
In the age of the “experience” economy, what do you want your customers and employees to feel about your organization? Your workplace serves as a three-dimensional canvas to communicate your company’s brand, drive your mission and enhance your strategy. Companies have an opportunity to use their space to engage the senses and deliver brand experience. Branding the workspace can boost core values and unify company culture. Branded space makes the time spent there more meaningful and hopefully memorable.
First impressions matter and they last.
Enhance your brand identity by including your logo, strategically displaying your mission statement or adding a well-designed history wall. Tell the story of your organization’s evolution. Incorporating interactive features and digital monitors to share information about the organization or culture-related activities adds to the brand story. Clever use of materials used in your industry can add personality to the space.
Your workspace helps to create meaningful connections by merging physical and content-rich experiences. It should be a showcase for what the organization does. The layout of the space combined with the architectural details and materials used all contribute to the connection people have with your organization. Décor and art in the space also help to communicate brand essence.
Messaging is an important element in branding.
It can be used for way-finding or to elicit behavior. Messaging can be conveyed through the use of signage, graphics, banners, and clusters of words or phrases. Info-graphics are an informative way to show an important process. Other impactful messaging vehicles include custom graphic wall coverings, pre-printed marker boards, and graffiti art.
Develop a workspace-branding plan.
To brand your workplace, engage the services of a qualified interior design consultant; one who’s well versed in trends, the application and performance of materials, and construction methods. The designer will need to consider all aspects of the physical environment and assess the impact of scale, color, lighting and acoustics for the design, among other things.
Branding your workspace is an important marketing strategy that breathes new life into your workplace, inspires employees, and makes an impression on customers.