The other day a coworker mentioned that he would buy an iPhone if he didn’t have to work with AT&T. He had a bad experience with them and doesn’t care how great the iPhone is if buying one means dealing with AT&T.
AT&T has obviously spent a ton of money on their image—polished logo, defined color scheme, consistent television and print advertising, a website, etc. They have worked really hard to make sure they look like they are the best at what they do.
So why isn’t my friend impressed? Didn’t he see the commercials? Hasn’t he seen the polished marketing promises? Doesn’t he like their logo?
Too many companies think looking good is all that really matters. As long as they look trustworthy then they must be trustworthy. As long as they look competent and friendly, then they must be competent and friendly.
The problem with this is that people bring their experiences into their perception of your brand. If I know nothing about your company, all of the polished marketing might have the desired effect on me. However, one negative experience can suddenly change that look completely because I will be reminded of that negative experience every time I see anything about your company.
A good image may bring in some new clients, but it takes having a good company to be able to keep them. Add these two elements together and you can have a great brand. The world is in need of more great brands.