For some reason, companies and individuals seem to think that it is perfectly fine for them to tell brand communications experts to work for free. It's mind-boggling that one thinks that a professional, who has spent years investing in their craft, should provide services without compensation.
While marketing and brand communications have been evolving over the years, these disciplines are disregarded and underrated. There is a science to the two disciplines that play a major role in positioning, profiling, and showcasing the value of a brand. Experts in this field are responsible for your brand’s reputation while making sure you remain connected to your customer or client base.
If a doctor is a solution to your ailing health, then a communications expert is the solution to your branding requirements. “If you don’t give the market the story to talk about, they will define your brand’s story for you,” says marking expert, David Brier.
The responsibility of brand communicators is to ensure that there is cohesion in brand messaging and that you stay relevant to the market.
Recently, I found myself having to go through pains to explain why investing in a good brand communication campaign strategy is vital to the growth of any organisation. It seems most people have a vague understanding of the crucial role such an initiative plays in securing the growth of their organisation.
Such encounters have caused me to ask myself questions like; ‘why would people claim to value their brands if they are not willing to invest in them? Why would anyone entrust their company’s image, narrative and key message into the hands of an individual they deem so inferior and undeserving of remuneration?
Brands that are thriving understand that they must invest in the crafting of their image to get ahead. Unfortunately, those who have relegated this project to the back burner will be left behind.
I believe that it is high time that we push back as professionals in the communications and marketing space by refusing to work for free. Exposure does not pay the bills, nor does it reflect a sense of tangible value in the business sense.
Just imagine walking up to a medical doctor and asking them to treat your illness in exchange for a mention on your Instagram page. It sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Well so does asking a brand communications specialist to run your campaign for mahala.
