21st Century Brand Images

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We all want our brands to be foremost in our client/customer’s eyes-  even more so for potential new adherents!  Given the plethora of information (or at least the belief that we are being overloaded with messages)- it takes more consideration of our actions (and follow-through) to meet the market’s rising expectations.

But, here’s a key fact.  Our customers, our clients don’t give a hoot how or what we do internally.   They just want the message to be cleanly presented to them.  If the world is changing about us- we still need to have a simple message that folks can discern- quickly, before they lose interest.  This consideration goes beyond logos, fonts, and colors- it includes advertising, mobile, and social media.

Which means you must understand how your current customers value your firm- and what potential new visitors need to see, as well.  Think of one of the biggest image failures in recent history.  JC Penney.

This firm was in the doldrums.  They hoped by stealing away Ron Johnson from Apple (who worked his magic at Apple’s retail stores), they would be able to turn around their firm.  Which Ron Johnson set out to do.  He revamped their store layouts, merchandising, and pricing.

But, he failed to comprehend one very important fact.  Customers wait for sales.  They come out more faithfully in response to a sale than for the “normal course of business”.  And, Mr. Johnson had averred that JC Penney would no longer drive its business with sales, but with “great low prices” every day.   Which may or may not have been true- but the customer could care less.  It wanted sales- and stopped visiting the stores   Goodbye, Mr. Johnson and hello sales.

That is a prime example of failing to align our brands with customer expectations.  Because moms (in particular, these were the prime customers) ‘knew” JC Penney for great sales, for “store-busters”.  And, without these promotions, they were lost.

Make sure your brand is in concert with market expectations.  It’s also why nascent companies must be sure of their business premise and communicate same- because changing one’s image is not something that works overnight.  Think of “Xerox” and how hard it has been struggling for years to get us to think of them as “not our office copier company”.  Which it hasn’t been for decades…

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