Ironically, even people who work in branding often struggle to answer this question. That’s why, at CMDi, we have created a useful metaphor to help everyone in the built environment sector understand what is mean by a “brand”.

In its simplest form, your brand is your company’s reputation: the way it is perceived by people; specifically, by your target audience. Yet perception is anything but simple.

Builders’ merchants depend on one constant to survive: that their business continues to be the go-to supplier for builders in their area. Obvious? Yes. Easy? No.

Best-in-class retailers use personalisation to make purchases faster, easier, and more seamlessly intuitive for their customers at every touch point – maximising the value of the data available about their individual preferences.

Time’s running out. With digital-savvy buyers demanding the convenience online services bring, merchants must either make the switch to e-trading and marketing or watch their competitive power fade.