Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon once said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” A brand, therefore, is what you are perceived to be. While you can’t decide what people will think about you, you can influence their thoughts. You can act in such a way that they perceive you the way you want to be perceived.

Some brands fail to positively influence people’s perceptions because of common reasons.

Weak networks

Business today is about relationships more than ever. The businesses that are able to build the strongest relationships with their customers and suppliers will come out at the top. The world has become a global village with the increase in internet usage and the introduction of social media. People can broadcast their opinions of your business whether good or bad to millions of others without your control.

It is of paramount importance that you go out of your way to make each experience with your business a sweet memory. Word of mouth advertisement is still the strongest form of advertisement. Provide the people you encounter with great experiences that can fetch you hundreds or even thousands of referrals.

Take advantage of social media to build a friendly face of your business and to fetch much-needed feedback about your products or services. Know your industry in and out. Watch your competition to see what’s working and what’s not working. Learn from others’ mistakes because that’s what wise people do.

Inconsistency

Strong brands are made of consistency. Every strong brand is predictable. Your people know what to expect from you. They know they will be treated kindly. They know they will be given a warranty.

Inconsistency on the other hand confuses people as they are not sure what to expect from you. When people have doubts about you they only deal with you as the last option. You don’t want to be in this place.

Develop and maintain the same logo and fonts and in case of changes communicate to your customers and suppliers. Stick to a particular line of business and only start on another line after making the first one successful. When you are successful in one line of business, you build credibility to be trusted to be successful in another line. However, when you attempt too many things all at the same time, people stand at a distance to watch your progress. Any great business wants to move with its people and not be watched from a distance.

Lack of Proficiency

Lacking proficiency shows in poor telephone etiquette, poor customer handling, not beating deadlines, and all sorts of unprofessionalism including wanting a dress code. This shows that you don’t take your work seriously. In turn, people will not take you seriously too.

Proficiency builds trust. When people trust you, they want to do business with you. When they don’t trust you, they will not want to be associated with you. Develop a sense of professionalism in all your dealings.

Dress smartly always and treat people with the utmost respect. He is worthy of respect and respects others. Keep your word because it is your bond. Learn and practice great email and telephone etiquette.

Start by ensuring consistency in all that you do. Write down 5 ways you can show consistency in your daily work. You can go from a weak brand to a strong brand. The reverse can also become true if you don’t mind the way you deal with other people. It is the number of people following your brand that determines the strength of your brand.