How to Build a Brand From the Inside Out (Without the Cringe)

How to Build a Brand From the Inside Out (Without the Cringe)

You’ve invested in a new logo. You’ve got some zippy taglines. Maybe even hired a brand consultant who said things like “growth-hacking” and “omnichannel” with a straight face. That’s all fine. But here’s the truth: If your people roll their eyes every time someone mentions “the brand,” then you don’t have a brand. You have a marketing department with a Canva subscription.

Brand doesn’t start on your website. It starts inside your walls.

Want proof? Let’s talk about my business partner, Mick Morrissey. I’ve watched him for years infuse brand into this firm so thoroughly that our people wear it like a coat—and clients notice.

So how does he do it? And how can you?

Let’s break it down into some do’s and don’ts.

DO: Make the brand real—not aspirational gibberish

There’s no need to push pie-in-the-sky mission statements. Brand is built on things you actually do. Technical excellence, responsiveness, partnership—you know, the stuff clients actually care about.

Bake it into your proposals, project reviews, even onboarding. The message is always: “Here’s who we are. If you’re not into this, you’re in the wrong place.”

Tip: If your brand pillars sound like they were ghostwritten by a self-help coach, throw them out. Replace them with five things your best clients would say about your firm in a bar.

DON’T: Confuse your brand with a vibe

“Cool” is not a brand. Neither is “edgy,” “fun,” or “like a start-up, but for infrastructure.”

Your brand isn’t a mood board. It’s a reputation…Read more