Verbal Identity, like all brand strategy, is about changing behaviour.

I hoped the answers was yes, but promised to spend the weekend thinking about it.

Then this morning, I saw a presentation by Interbrand’s CEO, the lovely Jez Frampton.

He reminds us that good brand strategy is about changing the behaviour of consumers.  The screengrab (apologies for poor quality) is Jez’s illustration of where brand strategy affects behaviour and increases value:

Choice Navigation

Premium Pricing

Loyalty

I think language works on the behaviours of internal audiences as well.

We want to make it easier for our colleagues to make the right decision…so, what language do they use when they talk about their current beliefs or processes? What language can we adopt to make our colleagues’ choices appear to be easier?

How can we use language to help our colleagues see the enhanced value of working a different way? 

Do we destroy loyalty by spending too much time telling our colleagues how wrong their current way of working is?

Language effects everything we do. A coherent, strategically-based verbal identity can help change behaviours, inside the company and out.

It’s time to call my client back.

We’ve had a lot of feedback recently on these columns, and some via Twitter (@verbID ), so let me know what you’ve noticed recently about internal comms and whether you thinking I’m barking up the wrong tree.

Chris