--- title: "Wednesday Buzz: Creating Brand Identity" id: "41830" type: "post" slug: "wednesday-buzz-creating-brand-identity" published_at: "2018-03-14T21:32:46+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T21:32:14+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/03/14/wednesday-buzz-creating-brand-identity/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/03/14/wednesday-buzz-creating-brand-identity.md" excerpt: "Could your brand identity use a refresh? Here are the essential steps to establishing an effective one. Also: why your group may want to reconsider giving gifts to new members." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "Marketing" - "Member Engagement" - "rebranding" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Director" - "Executive Team" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Wednesday Buzz: Creating Brand Identity Is it time to update your brand? Whether you’re looking for a change or feeling confident about your association’s identity, you may want to run through a branding exercise to make necessary updates. To find out whether your association is serving a need in the industry, you need to perform market research, says a [recent article from 360 Live Media (opens in a new tab)](https://360livemedia.com/2018/03/01/discovering-your-brand-identity/) . “The best way to approach this step is talking to people,” writes Bill Zimmer. “Conduct phone interviews, live social media chats, surveys, and use online search engine tools. You can always add components to your brand that your target audience is seeking and develop creative ways to reach that market.” If you want an unforgettable brand, you need to inject some personality. Like “Just Do It” is so indelible to Nike, what can you say about your association that is personable and catchy? “The bottom line is nobody likes boring,” says Zimmer. “Finding your brand identity means developing an unforgettable personality.” ### Rethinking Gifts > Top performing [#associations (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/associations?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > do not give gifts (think promotional items) but, they do sample to encourage engagement. [https://t.co/OApWW4HXY1 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/OApWW4HXY1) > [#ASAE (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASAE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Amanda Lea Kaiser (@AmandaLeaKaiser) [March 13, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/AmandaLeaKaiser/status/973627399635161088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **It’s a lovely gesture to give new members a small gift** to thank them for signing up. But does doing so really increase new member engagement? Association industry blogger Amanda Kaiser revisited the *[New Member Engagement Study (opens in a new tab)](http://www.smooththepath.net/resources/new-member-engagement-study/)* to find out. She reports that “top-performing” onboarding [programs don’t give out gifts (opens in a new tab)](http://www.smooththepath.net/2018/03/13/top-performing-associations-do-not-give-gifts/) . “Instead, they are much more likely to sample,” she writes. “Through these samples, new members get a taste of the value the association can provide to them.” ### Other Links of Note **We’ve all been in brainstorming sessions that went nowhere.** *Beth’s Blog* shares a [smart way to facilitate productive sessions (opens in a new tab)](http://www.bethkanter.org/facilitation-brainstorm/) . **Major corporations like Amazon are changing** the public’s expectations of the internet. Here’s what you should know, [from Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog (opens in a new tab)](https://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2018/03/13/3-big-trends-that-should-change-the-way-you-work-online/) . **Keeping great volunteers can be tricky.** *Engaging Volunteers* provides administrative steps your [group can take to retain them (opens in a new tab)](https://blogs.volunteermatch.org/engagingvolunteers/2018/03/13/success-is-a-process-6-administrative-steps-to-volunteer-retention/) . (patpitchaya/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#Marketing](https://associationsnow.com/tag/marketing/) [#Member Engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/member-engagement/) [#rebranding](https://associationsnow.com/tag/rebranding/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [VideoRecap from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 19, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/19/recap-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoSneak Peek: Highlights from Day 2 of the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 14, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/14/sneak-peek-highlights-from-day-2-of-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) - [VideoDaily Recap: Day 1 from the 2025 ASAE MMC+Tech ConferenceMay 13, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/05/13/daily-recap-day-1-from-the-2025-asae-mmctech-conference/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F03%2F14%2Fwednesday-buzz-creating-brand-identity%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !