Are You Guilty of Brand Failure?

Intro by Skip Cohen

Sarah Petty shared this post a long time back and it got me thinking about the brand so many of you are working hard to build. For many of you there simply is no continuity.

Sarah wrote: “Everything about your business is part of your brand…”

Today that goes far beyond just your physical location/presence. Your website and blog need continuity in their design. Your business cards, brochures and stationery need to have that same look. Then there are all those things where you touch the public either with your physical presence or through social media.

How well do you communicate? Are you helpful? Have you built a reputation for giving back or are you a taker? How quickly do you respond to email and voicemail? What’s your reputation in your community?

Tony Corbell, who so many of you know and have followed over the years, told a story about when he first got started,

“I may not have been the best photographer in town, but I was determined to be the nicest!”

In all of Tony’s years in business and the industry, he’s never strayed from that comment. It’s part of his brand.

So, when you read this short post from Sarah, think about your own business and every component that’s exposed to your target audience. You’re working hard to build your business and skill set. If you’re failing in any aspect of building your brand then step back and examine the challenge.

It’s easy to fix mistakes early on, but so much harder if you procrastinate and let them slide.

“Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder!”
Mason Cooley

A friend was at an upscale day spa enjoying multiple services. After finishing her body treatment, she was asked to grab her clothing in her hands (while wrapped in a robe) and walk thru the facility to get to the pedicure room on the other side of the building. When you go to a day spa, you expect they are going to take care of you. Pamper you. Make all of your stress go away. In this case, they failed our friend by creating stress and forcing her into an uncomfortable situation. Everything about your business is part of your brand – from answering the phone to collecting payments, to what your bathroom looks like.

How does this affect you? Have you thought about traffic patterns? Do you specialize in photographing nude babies?. Think about having facilities that make new moms comfortable. Your clients need privacy at times – whether they are in a dressing room, need to change their baby’s diaper or even just take a phone call. Are you giving them the brand experience they expect?