The first thing I think about when I think of “brand” or “branding” is coca-cola. Yes, they’ve done a great job in marketing that carbonated sugar water. And that’s the second thing I think of: marketing.
Sometimes I forget that branding, though vital to marketing, affects sales, customer service, and pretty much all other parts of a business. It’s obvious then that it is vital to have a good brand. But can a brand be so good that it actually prevents you from getting more customers?
I came across an intriguing post on Larry Kilbourne’s blog called When Brand Bites Back. In it, Larry talks about instances where a great brand and perception of that brand deterred potential customers from doing business with the companies he was working for.
One instance was a new program for corporate solutions offered by Dale Carnegie Training. Up to that point, Dale Carnegie was very well known for personal coaching and training for stellar public speaking. Their reputation was so strong that possible client corporations were uninterested because they didn’t need “individual public speaking training.” Eventually, they found they had better results if they simply sold the program on its merits, without mentioning it was a division of Dale Carnegie at all.
What does your brand say about your company, your products, and what you do best? Is public perception at odds with any of your products or services? Could it be that potential customers are going elsewhere because they don’t think you are the company to help them with their needs?
I’m of the opinion that–all things being equal—I’d rather have a strong brand that is a barrier to new services, than a weak or counterproductive brand that does me no good at all.
Tells me about your brand and what it makes people think of when they see it. Has it ever caused you to lose business like the Dale Carnegie example? Leave a comment and tell me about it.
George Page
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Bill – Appreciate the mention and nice job of summarizing my post. Just discovered your own blog and am looking forward to reading more.