Page 91 - Duct Tape Marketing

Chapter 6

Projecting the Right Image

In This Chapter

ᮣ Identifying the ways you project your business image to the market
ᮣ Taking inventory of your communications
ᮣ Evaluating your marketing materials

Right now, your business is making an impression. Somewhere, some
prospect is encountering your ad, seeing your logo, placing a call to
your business, visiting your Web site, or walking through your door. Maybe
someone is driving by the sign on your locked-up shop at night, or seeing
your listing when the Yellow Pages fall open.

As a result, right now people are drawing conclusions about your business.
Based on what they’re seeing or hearing, they’re making quick mental calcu-
lations about where you fit in the business pecking order, deciding whether
your business looks like a top-tier player, an economical alternative, or a
struggling start-up — all based on impressions that you may not even be
aware that you’re making.

This chapter is about where and when your business makes impressions and
how you can align your communications so that people will form the opinion
you want them to have.

Making First Impressions

You’ve heard the saying a thousand times: “You never get a second chance
to make a first impression.” The advice is self-evident and it sounds easy
enough to follow until you realize that your business most often makes its
first impressions when you’re nowhere to be found. In your stead is your
ad, your voice mail message, your direct mailing, your business sign, your
employee, or maybe your logo on the back of some Little League player’s
uniform.