by Jimmy Harris
Been watching politics? Have you noticed that more attention is given to style pointsthan substance?
A candidate might have zero leadership experience, an unclear vision for the future, and failed policy ideas, but after a debate, the talking heads will discuss how "electable" they seemed based on how well they spoke, or whether they looked "presidential".
Like it or not, what we see in operation is a time-tested maxim that businesses can't afford to ignore:
Perception IS Reality.
Why can't we ignore it? Because - in this way, at least - business is just like politics. Whether your voters pull a lever or swipe a credit card, both politicians and businesses are competing for a limited number of votes. And since neither customers nor voters have time to completely research their "candidates", they are forced to form their opinions based on perception.
Politicians know this. They pay very close attention to the style of their hair, the whiteness of their teeth, who they're seen with, the sound of their speaking voice and even the exact shade of their blue suit. Their hair, their teeth, their clothing, their articulation and their ideas are all carefully orchestrated to craft their political brand.
And the stakes are high. The one with the best brand wins in a winner-takes-all game and goes on to enjoy the power and all the perks of being an elected official. The losers? They go home.
In business, the contract between the winners and losers may not be as obvious, and there can be more than one winner... but in both cases, the battle is won and lost in the arena of PERCEPTION.
So, what are you doing to craft the brand of your business?
Of course you have a nice lighted sign outside, a great parking lot, a fast moving counter, a clean and welcoming showroom, and a dress code for employees, right? But is this enough of an edge to put you over the top, or is this simply the "bar to entry" to doing business?
For instance, how do your customers perceive your company when they call? Is it professional? What about after hours? Is that consistent and professional? Is everyone trained to answer the phone in exactly the same way to give the customer a consistent experience? (Consistency is HUGE, by the way... but we need another entire article to cover the subject adequately.)
When you must place people on hold, as we all must, what do they hear? Silence? The dreaded "beeps"? The radio? That horrid little guitar riff that comes standard on the Cisco system? Or are you working hard to carefully craft your image to help you WIN in every single way you can?
Winonhold.com exists to help you carefully craft the perception callers have of your company. We're now serving more than 350 Winsupply companies with "Professional On-Hold Marketing and Professional Telephone Greeting Services to help you project exactly the image you want every time the telephone rings!
Find out more at www.winonhold.com, or just stop by Booth #104 (toward the front, all the way to the left) at the Vendor Showcase in Orlando. Even if we don't do business, we'll have a small gift for you!
See you in Orlando!
