Fast. Name the most valuable and trusted brand in India.

Since its inception in 1858, the Tata Group has established itself as the most valuable brand in India through independent surveys by Interbrand and Brand Finance. It is virtually impossible to go a day without being exposed to advertisements or messages from a Tata Group company. Be it Jaguar, Land Rover, Taj Hotels, Titan, Fastrack, Tanishq, Tata Sky or its many other brands, Tata is everywhere.

However, the fascinating thing is that when you think of Tata Group, the first thing that comes to mind is not their ads! Far from there. What comes to mind are their iconic leaders, their service to the nation, and their focus on creating lasting customer value.

And THAT is what a great brand is all about: delivering unique and sustained value, while being smart enough to focus on growing your business.

What is your position?

For years, Indian schools have held one of two positions:

Confident of your heritage and consequently not too eager to build your brand.

Aggressive to advertise and expand quickly

What posture is correct?

This is the good news. This is not a stance vs. the other. It’s about combining the two: one in which the value to the student is constantly being improved AND that value is communicated to the rest of the world. Because that’s what a great brand is all about: unique value.

It is also what is defined as a brand: “a name, term, design, symbol or other characteristic that distinguishes an organization or product from its rivals in the eyes of the customer.”

So if you are confident that you are adding great value to a student, communicate that value and tell people about it. Don’t let them create their own perceptions! And if you’re focused on growing your business, invest as much (or more) in creating value for students as you do in branding your school.

Why the brand is more important than ever

Because there are so many more schools today: A couple of decades ago, each city had only a handful of schools. For a parent, decision-making was easy. Today, with rising incomes and parents willing to invest more in a good education, many more schools have sprung up (between 1.5 million and 2 million schools across India). Each school has its own loyal following. These fans express their opinions on social media. The schools themselves advertise widely. The bottom line: parents are more confused than ever. The best way to get noticed: communicate your unique value to parents.

Because parents have different priorities: Before, the only benchmark for a good school was academic results. Today, priorities vary: good environment, holistic development, global exposure, good teachers, child safety and others. By identifying and communicating the unique value of your school, you directly appeal to parents who are looking for precisely what you have to offer. This helps attract more like-minded parents, create the desired culture with more confidence, and generate strong word of mouth.

Because today, transparency = credibility: At one time, being low-key was seen as a positive attribute. No longer. In the age of social media, people tend to equate transparency with credibility (“If you’re out there and communicating with confidence, you must be good”). Today, parents expect their children’s school to communicate with them regularly and in detail. There’s a lot more talk about schools investing in strategic brands, receiving more applications, and being able to charge more. So go out there and communicate your value with confidence!

Because you want to be part of India’s education boom – 2016-2025 is touted as the decade of India. With a young, upwardly mobile and increasingly urban population, the demand for a good school education will only increase. So if you’re currently feeding, say, 3,000 young minds, why not nurture several more? To enable stable expansion, you need a steady stream of prospects (students in this case), and that’s where strategic brand development comes in.

Because the brand is just the Swiss knife you need: beyond admissions and business expansion, you have other needs: hiring the right talent, partnering with social causes, communicating with investors. A strong brand can help you achieve all of these goals by honing your message and communicating with diverse stakeholders in the language they understand.

Move along. Think about the brand. And remember that a great brand is first and foremost about the brand experience. Make sure your fundamentals are in place, define your brand, and invest in the future of your school!