Why and how you need to consciously create, build, and maintain a company brand.

I founded Bakers Pride a long time ago: 26 years ago to be exact. And I’m sure I would not still have a thriving business today if I hadn’t learned how important a strong company brand is.

A company brand is your business’ essence, inside and out. It’s the story of who you are, and speaks to your customers in every aspect of your business. While it’s reflected in your logo, website, offices, products, employees, and culture, none of those are your brand. Rather, they are the expressions of it, of what and who you are.

Consistency is key. You can’t be everything to everyone; your business needs to be well-defined, and all aspects of the business need to reinforce one another. Who you are should be based on your strengths and authenticity, as well as what your target market wants and needs you to be.

Developing a meaningful company brand

Creating and maintaining a meaningful brand takes a lot of thought. It’s very conscious effort, and not a one-time thing. Whether you’re just starting to define your brand or you have an established brand and it’s time for a review, these six questions can help clarify and define your company’s brand.

1.       What is your company’s mission? What is the purpose of your business? Why do you exist, and for whom? Have you defined your mission in a mission statement and communicated it to your whole team?

2.       What are the benefits of your products or services, and how are you defining ‘benefits’ – by your standards or your customers’? Have you done your market research?

3.       What qualities do you want employees, customers, and prospects to associate with your company? What do you value and believe in?

4.       Can you consistently and coherently deliver on your benefits and company values, both internally and with your customers?

5.       What’s your business’ founding story? Can you explain what problems you solve for your customers, and how? Does your story connect with your mission? According to Enchanting Marketing, “Your story helps readers understand what drives you, who you are, and why you are the person to help them.”

6.       Have you picked a good name and logo, one that won’t become confusing or irrelevant as your business evolves?

These questions will give you a good foundation for defining the core essence of what you want your company to be – what you want your brand to say about who you are to your staff and your customers.

Strategic company branding

Strategic company branding can result in stronger brand value. For example, store brands often have little-to-no positive image associated with them and are generally sold at a lower everyday price than national brands, unless the national brands are on sale. Even if the ingredient listing for the store brand and a national brand are identical, many consumers will purchase the brand name item. Why? They associate the brand with quality and trust a name they know. If the brand has a good image, they are willing to pay more.

A company that has created a positive emotional or social connection with buyers and prospects also creates stronger brand value. Buying the brand can make a consumer feel confident and look good in the buyers’ own eyes and others’. Think about cars: They get you from place to place, but for some people, they’re way more than that. They are high performance machines that connote lifestyle, wealth, and personality.

The Bakers Pride brand

When I started out, I knew we needed to focus on building a trusted brand every day with every customer by providing reliable early morning deliveries, consistent high-quality products, and extraordinary customer service. This became, and still is, the essence of our brand. Regardless of the product we’re making, or the size of the order, each customer warrants the same attention to detail and service as the next.

I try to ensure that this commitment is reflected each day in all we do, from baking our products and on-time delivery to timely communication and regular employee acknowledgement. And I’ve also made sure that every team member knows what our brand stands for and work to keep them engaged and committed to upholding it.

It’s a lot of work! But over the years, I’ve found it to be invaluable in developing and maintaining exceptional relationships with both our customers and employees.

What’s your brand say about you?


With Gratitude,

Cheryl Lauer

Bakers Pride delivers delicious seasonal specialties and perennial favorites daily in the St. Louis/Illinois metropolitan area, and we’d love to help you add a touch of homemade sweetness for your employees, customers, and guests. Place your next order today.

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