Consistent quality, supply and service over time are keys to building a true brand. When these healthy brand “roots” are in place, consumers begin to view a brand positively, enabling the brand to roll out new offerings. A brand’s growth happens because of healthy roots, including quality, supply and service.

It’s easy to make a comparison with how healthy tree rootstock is used by fruit and nut growers to establish superior orchards.

Roots keep the plants stable, and provide access to moisture and nutrients from the soil to feed the plants, trees and or vines that produce the fruit or nuts.

After rootstock suited to the orchard’s site, soil conditions and disease pressure is established, the scion of the desired cultivar can be grafted onto the healthy, competitive rootstock.

Certain types of rootstock may be used to produce different types of fruit. Sour orange rootstock, for example, has been used for grapefruit in Texas and oranges in Florida, as well as other citrus varieties worldwide.

High-yielding, healthy trees depend on healthy roots. So, too, does the growth of a company’s brand depend on the healthy roots of product quality that is consistently high, supply volumes that are constantly available and brand service that is consistently superior.

Consumers are looking for consistent brand quality and supply. Mediocre brand quality and supply are not going to attract more sales; they will cannibalize other brand categories.

And customers will be quite opposed to trying new product offerings if they haven’t already had experience with “healthy roots” from the brand.

So how are your brand’s roots? Are they healthy enough to keep building a true brand?

In my view, growing healthy roots for your brand means the following:

• Healthy means giving customers what they want. Be a good listener, and communicate with your customers in the ways they want. If consumers want to give feedback on Facebook, make it happen. If distributors prefer face and phone time, keep it happening.
• Healthy means delivering superior products, not only to distribution facilities but to the restaurant unit or retail grocery store. Keep taking pride in the condition of your product throughout the supply chain, and leverage a track record of high product quality to roll out new product offerings.
• Healthy roots deliver a pleasurable eating experience enjoyed at the consumer level. Loyal customers appreciate what you have to offer, want to repeat their positive experience and are more open to trying new products carrying your brand.
• Healthy roots emphasize customer service. This means making your brand all about the product and customer, and not about your ego.
• Healthy roots mean people are your greatest asset. People and relationships with employees, vendors and customers are all equally valuable to building a reputation for superior brand service.

Remember, even the best brand can be susceptible to forces outside its control. As I write this, citrus rootstock in Florida faces new diseases, forcing growers to make hard decisions about what to do with their old roots.

As in any business, those businesses able to adjust and adapt — perhaps even establishing new kinds of roots more resilient to a changing environment — will continue to be successful in the long run. But no matter how your market environment changes, quality, supply and service are essential when rooting your brand for sustained growth over the long run.