There are so many blogs & articles written about company recognition & brand identity. In a previous blog, Will The Real Definition Of Branding Please Stand Up (May 2010), I tried to define what a brand is & how to obtain it.
After establishing your brand & revealing it to the public online & with offline advertising like catalogs, fliers & promotional imprinted products you need to make sure you, as a person, are also giving out the same message.
If you are an interior decorator & you've presented your company as daring, creative, out-of-the-ordinary......a business that pushes the envelope & comes up with astonishing results; you'll lose your customers if you, personally, come across as being traditional & playing it safe. Being someone who is not part of your branded image will give mixed messages. This is one of the worst things you can do to win over a customer.
First impressions can make it or break it for you. How many times have you heard that? I can't stress enough how true it is. Therefore, when you meet your client & hand him your business card & promotional custom products with your company name on them, make sure you, yourself, are part of that total picture you are trying to portray.
When you present yourself to clients as a representative of your company, it's important to show you are an expert in your field. Your expertise should be part of your brand.
Experts receive respect & have an edge over their competition. They're in a better position to attract loyalty from the consumer & interesting business opportunities.
Which of the following kinds of expert portraits work for your capabilities & your competitive marketplace?
* THE WHIZ--someone who has an unusual degree of skill & is able to accomplish tasks far more capably than others & usually with greater speed.
* THE BRAINIAC--someone with an unbelievable amount of knowledge at his or her command.
* THE SUCCESS--"I reached the mountaintop & now let me teach you how to do what I did."
* THE SAGE--someone who offers wise answers, effective advise & has a balanced range of perspectives.
* THE REBEL--someone people enjoy following because he or she reliably puts forward contrary, unpredictable ideas that make sense.
You can combine two of these types, but pursuing three or more of these kinds of qualities clouds how people understand your strengths & stretches your credibility.
When meeting that all-important client, put your best foot forward & foster your expert image--an image that fits your brand. Your image should be just as important to your brand identity as the customized promotional items you give out or the words describing your business in your mailings, your blogs & on your website.
Good luck the next time you meet your client. I hope this helps.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
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