BDN Home
- January 17, 2009
What’s Your Business Image?
Your company image is your identity in the marketplace but your identity is may not be exclusive to you. A competitor may have the same image as you. For example, think about two grocery store chains that operate in your region. Both may have an image of offering quality products at reasonable prices. You might feel equally comfortable in stores of both chains, think they hire competent and friendly people and appreciate each enterprise’s contribution to your community.
Your company image, however, may differentiate you from your competition. Using the grocery chain example again, two chains may offer quality products at reasonable prices. However, one chain might not be as clean or brightly lit as another. Its employees might not be as helpful and friendly. You may choose the clean, brightly lit, friendly store because of those image attributes alone.
Interestingly, your company has an image even if you do not undertake any activities to try to build one. If you’re successful, you have customers. And, your customers have thoughts, feelings, beliefs and opinions about you and your products and services.
Even if you do not advertise, distribute flyers, pass out brochures or issue press releases, it might surprise you that the following items will quietly, yet actively, create a company image.
· Your company logo. Does it evoke the desired thoughts and feelings in your target audience?
· Your Web site. Is it zany and full of wild colors or conservative and designed with muted colors?
· Product packaging. Do products from the same line look like they came from the same company?
· The look of your business cards, letterhead and invoices. A look is created with color, paper quality and type style.
· How you and/or your employees interact with customers in person and on the phone.
· How your phone is answered.
Note, it is what others think and feel about your business, not what you think or what your sales literature says about your business.
