How can you use lease negotiations to improve your company's brand image?

1 Identify your brand goals

Before you enter into any lease negotiations, you need to have a clear idea of what your brand stands for and what you want to achieve with your real estate strategy. Do you want to showcase your innovation, sustainability, or social responsibility? Do you want to attract and retain top talent, enhance collaboration, or increase productivity? Do you want to expand your market presence, diversify your portfolio, or optimize your costs? Your brand goals will guide your lease negotiations and help you communicate your value proposition to your landlords and partners.

2 Align your lease terms with your brand values

Once you have defined your brand goals, you need to align your lease terms with your brand values. This means that you need to negotiate for features and benefits that support your brand identity and message. For example, if you are a green company, you may want to negotiate for energy-efficient buildings, renewable energy sources, or LEED certification. If you are a flexible company, you may want to negotiate for shorter lease terms, lower exit fees, or co-working spaces. If you are a customer-centric company, you may want to negotiate for prime locations, high-quality amenities, or signage rights.

3 Showcase your brand story

Another way to use lease negotiations to improve your brand image is to showcase your brand story through your real estate choices. Your brand story is the narrative that explains who you are, what you do, and why you do it. It is what makes your company unique and memorable. You can use your lease negotiations to create spaces that reflect and reinforce your brand story. For example, you can negotiate for design elements, furniture, artwork, or colors that match your brand personality and style. You can also negotiate for spaces that highlight your history, achievements, or values.

4 Build trust and credibility

Lease negotiations are also an opportunity to build trust and credibility with your landlords, partners, and customers. Trust and credibility are essential for your brand reputation and loyalty. You can use your lease negotiations to demonstrate your professionalism, integrity, and reliability. For example, you can negotiate for fair and transparent contracts, mutual benefits, and win-win solutions. You can also negotiate for performance-based incentives, feedback mechanisms, or dispute resolution clauses. By negotiating in good faith and honoring your commitments, you can enhance your brand image and reputation.

5 Monitor and measure your brand impact

Finally, you need to monitor and measure your brand impact after you sign your lease agreements. You need to evaluate how your real estate decisions affect your brand awareness, perception, and preference. You also need to assess how your brand image influences your business outcomes, such as customer satisfaction, employee engagement, or revenue growth. You can use various tools and methods to monitor and measure your brand impact, such as surveys, interviews, analytics, or audits. By doing so, you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, and adjust your lease negotiations accordingly.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?