I had to get a tire replaced so I dropped my car at a shop. Since it was early, I walked over to the local bagel place to get shmear and to catch up on emails. I was stopped in my tracks as I walked along the side of this restaurant. The stench was way beyond bad. It was disgusting. Revolting. Nauseating. Did the manager not notice this when she came into work early this morning? Why wasn’t anyone deodorizing or washing the area around their trash? Food retailing and a horrific smell are not simpatico. Does your brand smell badly?
Don’t let your brand stink?
It is the littlest thing that forms an impression of brand.
The sign that is no longer illuminated. The windows that are are filthy, smudged and murky. The bar bathroom that is so gross you don’t want to return. Surly employees or overbearing music. Indifferent service. Tables at a restaurant that smell of a dirty dish rag. These are all elements that can become part of your brand when you aren’t intentional in your actions.
[Tweet “A brand lives in the mind of your customer’s experience.”]
Brands can reek when there is bad software that has a reoccurring issue; a terrible voice mail system for customers keeping you in a three-dimensional loop or the frequent misspelled words in a brochure. The collection of all of these off-brand experiences defines your brand just as much as the fancy brand standards you received from your advertising agency.
Your brand may be your most important asset. Your reputation demands protection. Your future depends on attracting the right customers and the brand is that symbol of what you do and why you do it.
If you are going to invest in promoting your values and telling your story, you should also sniff around to make sure something isn’t rotting right in front of your eyes. (or nose)
Don’t let the putrid smells interfere with the perfume of your freshly-baked bagels.
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