7 Keys to Marketing Genius: Your Greatest Asset - Your Image
The following is an excerpt from The 7 Keys to Marketing Genius by Michael Daehn
The greatest single asset of your company or organization is your image, also called brand or brand image. Why is this so important? Customers and partners relate to you based on how they perceive your reputation, behavior, and corporate personality. The same principle holds true of individuals. We trust people who are trustworthy, treat us with respect, and keep their word. The image of the organization must be in harmony with the purpose (Key 2) and consistently promote the competitive advantage (Key 1) that gives a rationale for choosing your company over the competition.
Please realize that you cannot fake an image. Eventually your true self will be revealed to customers. You can spend billions of dollars promoting the great service you provide, but if salespeople treat your customers rudely, that money is wasted. Make sure you understand your advantage (Key 1) and that your whole company is in alignment with a purpose (Key 2) before promoting an image. Your image can be taken from you or destroyed by your own actions. Once you have made the investment to create an image, protect it at all costs because it is your greatest asset.