I have quoted this before, but it is relevant to today’s topic:
“Your brand is what other people say about you when you’re not in the room.” – Jeff Bezos, Amazon
No matter how hard you try to manage your brand, opinions will always be influenced by what your customers see and hear. In the digital world we live in, information exchanges are instant and on a global scale so it is increasingly important to respond to your customer’s voice.
To try to maintain a positive brand image, show that you are aware of your customers’ opinions and work with them to make your brand what they want it to be.
You will only be successful if your customers are happy, so listen to what they have to say.
But remember one important thing…you will never please everyone, so don’t try!
There will always be a multitude of differing opinions, so go with the majority if you’re trying to make a big decision, like rebranding.
A well-known brand that has recently hit the headlines in the design world for its rebrand is The Huffington Post. It is now known simply as HuffPost, as this is the name that readers were shortening it to on a regular basis.
The Editor-in-Chief Lydia Polgreen, has been quoted* as saying, “Sometimes it’s a good idea just to embrace the name that your audience has chosen…HuffPost is already the name of the mobile app and the name on most of the social accounts, and as the world moves further and further away from desktop toward social and mobile, it makes perfect sense to unify the branding.”
Another brand that shortened its name to match what customers called it, was Wilkinsons, who since 2014 have been known simply as Wilko. At the time, a spokesperson was quoted as saying “[We are] migrating to Wilko as the popular and endearing name that our customers have given us.”
Listening to your customers is essential, not only in rebranding, but in everyday business. We have met many companies who say “we know what our customers think”…but do they really know?
How often do you ask your customers for feedback?
To show that your brand is trustworthy, reliable and approachable, think about how you can best reach out to your customers and listen to their comments.
If you need any help in this area, please contact me
Until next time,
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