Always, Always, Always... Protect Your Brand!

Now that Stuck Together Magnets is steady rolling and has become my full time job, I have become very conscious of my brand and its place in the world.  It is a very tricky thing, building a brand.  It is so much more than buying a logo and slapping it on a business card.  It is a reputation built on a great product, stellar customer service, and constant progress and ambition. My brand is like my child.  I created it, brought it up through diapers (phew!), and now I am nurturing it as it grows up.   I am always thinking about my brand and always work to make sure that it is growing up to be a "good kid."

As a business owner, I pay a lot more attention to other brands and I am always surprised when I see a company seemingly blind to the damage they are doing to their names through neglect and poor customer service.  I am currently a customer of a group of people who are trying to build a brand.  I'm not naming names cause I am not that girl.... but... these people are stressing me out!  I want to write countless emails to the head of the company and tell him how much his brand suffers when things don't go as promised, products are not as advertised and customers are disrespected.  Why work so hard just to leave a bad taste in your customers' mouths when it is all said and done?  It is a hard thing to watch, but it makes me pay more attention to my own business practices.

I strive to always protect the brand I have built by being consistent, reliable and providing a product that people will come back for.  I am so proud of Stuck Together Magnets and I will always work hard to make sure it is a "good kid" with a happy Momma.  

Things you can do to protect your brand:

1.  Always respond to inquires in a timely manner.  Nothing pisses off a customer more than being ignored.

2.  Make a good product that is worth what you charge.

3.  Go the extra mile when you can or when it is necessary.  Sometimes it is that little extra something that makes you memorable.  

4.  Use a respectful tone in your communication, even when you don't want to.  Sometimes, yes, customers are wrong.  But, stay professional and treat them with respect.  Even if the transaction was not perfect, they will remember your manner.  Surprise them by being kind, even if they are communicating with frustration.

5.  Evolve.  Progress.  Grow.  Expand.

6.  Love your brand!  Be proud of what you have built.  Talk about it and show it off.

Peace, Love and Magnets!

Wendy