EVERY company has an identity and your corporate identity is an expression of difference. It is what makes your company stand out from the crowd. A strong identity, managed wisely, will stand your company in good stead for years to come.

Good identity management doesn't just happen. People will form opinions of your company whether you work at shaping perceptions or not. However, if you take the initiative and a proactive stance in the management of your corporate identity, it is far more likely that those perceptions will be positive.

There are some things to keep in mind when you're developing an identity for a company, division, department or agency.

Before doing anything, define what it is that makes you different. If your identity says nothing different about you, then people will not bother. The identity you project should give a distinct impression to the world. The essential components of your corporate identity - the company's name, its graphical expression, and the way it is expressed and implemented - can build belief in your company's approach, its products and services both internally within the company and externally to your customers, clients and the world at large. Getting it wrong can be costly, so it is wise to treat your identity with respect, it is a valuable asset.

A company's identity is a board-level issue and the board of directors should be involved in strategic identity decisions. An identity that isn't managed firmly, proactively and consistently with your company's core strategy can drift, or even work against the company's efforts to move forward.

Regular checks are necessary to ensure that the corporate identity is in line with your company's positioning and personality. If your company's positioning seems to be unclear, then it needs to be defined. Control the core of the visual identity - name, logo and colours - vigorously. There may still be room for flexibility, for example, with local imagery, but if your people don't understand your company's personality, positioning and philosophy, they won't be able to get the basics right.

Just as your own identity defines who you are, your company's identity is the clearest indication to others of its aims, attitudes and aspirations. It is the only thing that your customers, shareholders and employees see continually. Your identity, if created and implemented with sound research and methodology, will last for many years, and will become a positive marketing force for the company.

In the eyes of others, a change in identity signifies change and will be judged, for better or worse. Hence it is advisable that you only revise or re-make your identity every several years and only when the need is obvious. When doing that, don't cut corners and don't compromise on quality. A good identity is too valuable for you to scrimp on.

Remember that the incremental cost of an identity programme is minimal. You have to pay for the cost of stationery, forms, signs, and vehicles anyway so you may as well pay marginally more to send out a strong message about your company.

Managing identity is a people issue, so don't rely on a company manual to manage the identity. Just as new clothes won't change a person, a new visual identity will only succeed if your employees believe in it, and live its values. For this, your identity and what you want it to mean need to be clearly and effectively communicated throughout the company.

Finally, good identity management doesn't just happen by chance. It needs to be nurtured and managed carefully. To be on top of the situation where your company's identity is concerned, make the management of your corporate identity part of someone's job. Identify and delegate a person to oversee matters pertaining to your company's identity.

Ann Gregory.(c) 2001 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad.

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