“A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. – Seth Godin”
After going through rigorous advertising efforts and countless attempts at carrying your company to a level of fame, you finally end up on the top of the competition. Your customers love you. Your business partners hold you in high regards. Everything is going very well and according to your plans.
However, do not let the success go way over your head. Do not ever think that the success is going to last once you are at the pinnacle. Just because things have turned for the better for you, it doesn’t mean you can stop working. Everything you’ve built and worked hard for will vanish the moment you stop working and eventually you will lose your reputation.
Related: For Long-lasting Branding, Do These Things!
Reputation is earned, not inherited neither gained for free. It is the payoff for your hard work. And probably the simplest way to defend your reputation is by establishing a constant and well-guarded relationship with your customers. Your audience and customers have finally entrusted your business with their needs and this needs to be maintained.
So, how do you maintain your branding efforts so everything stays in your customers’ mind? Let’s figure it out.
Create roles in your team.
It’s good to build a brand supported by a crisis management team consisting of divisions, each with its own role: strategic planner, organizer, staff, lead, and control.
Listen to what your customers have to say about your brand.
As an influencer, having a good listening skill is a must. Inputs and criticisms must be accommodated and taken in. Those criticisms and inputs will eventually help you create a better brand. When people criticize your brand, it means that something could still be improved for the better. However, bear in mind that..
Trying to please everyone is an impossible task.
Despite all the good efforts and dedication, you will always find someone badmouthing your brand lurk underneath. This is a given and this is okay. While you may exist to cater to your customers’ needs, you are bound to be unable to please everyone at once. There will be those that disagree with you in a lot of ways. Monitor all the negative things that have spread about your brand and counter accordingly.
Related: Let’s Build A Personal Brand that Resonates Timelessly!
Click here for more articles about brand and branding.
