Let Consumers Fall in Love With Your Brand

I recently returned from a two-week vacation in Nicaragua, where my daughter is teaching third grade. My wife and son accompanied me there, and we all simply fell in love with this wonderful country.

A little over a year ago, I received a call from my daughter – a recent college graduate. She told me she had a job offer, and I was ecstatic. “It’s a teaching job,” she said over the phone. Well, she didn’t get a degree in education, so I couldn’t help but wonder. “What will you be teaching?” I inquired. “I’ll be teaching English … in Nicaragua.” My heart sank. My baby girl was heading to this country I really did not know much about.

My perceptions of Nicaragua were formed thirty years ago from a variety of media sources. Seemingly recognizing my consternation during our talk, she blurted out, “Dad, it’s not like that anymore. This isn’t the ‘80s. It’s a great place. Trust me.”

So she moved there. And she loves it.

My impression of the “Nicaraguan brand” formed 30 years ago and had not wavered because I had not experienced it. Without an experience, I had not yet fallen in love with Nicaragua. 

Consumers form their perception of any organization’s brand from a variety of sources. What do your consumers think of when they think about your brand? Are they positive or negative thoughts? Or are your consumers ambiguous about your brand? Negative impressions can be very difficult to overcome and sometimes have a impact on consumers’ perception of a brand. Ambiguous perceptions just need some context. 

So what can you do if your organization has a poor brand perception or negative perception in the marketplace?

The best remedy is always a strong offense. Make sure your entire organization is on-board with its brand and that it is true to the organization’s values. Make it okay for employees to do the right things for customers, period. Too many companies don’t empower staff enough to solve customer problems … at the source … right away. Most opposing arguments are made because the result might cost the organization too much money if employees end up giving a lot away. However, think about how much is lost when your brand takes a hit? 

A strong offense is the best move for any organization. Consumers who have a solid, positive brand impression will overlook a lot. So, if a poor brand look is due to a mistake by your organization, the key is to always do the right thing. Fix the mistake. Own it, and don’t try to cover up or “spin” it away.

The bottom line is to deliver delightful, outstanding and simply memorable experiences that cause your consumer to share what happened for them. This is the key for ambiguous brand perceptions, as well as negative ones. 

That's what happened for me from the minute we landed in Nicaragua. We were immersed in wonderful experiences. We found the people incredibly welcoming. We also heard about our daughter’s experiences. We traveled the countryside and were awed by everything we saw - from the scenery to the towns. Each of my own experiences there chipped away at a 30-year-old ambiguous perception of the Nicaraguan "brand."

My family fell in love with the people and country of Nicaragua and can’t wait to return.

Take time to do the same for your consumers so they fall in love with your company’s brand and can't wait to return.