Once is Not Enough

September 7th, 2010

Last weekend I enjoyed some catching up time with an old friend. We have a lot in common, she and I - including our agreement that a good pedicure is worth a splurge. There's a place in St. Charles where she lives that has always been unmatched in both quality and price. It's becoming one of our favorite traditions.

My pedi was, as usual, everything I'd hoped. Hers, however, not so much.

I asked her what she didn't like, and her biggest compliant was that the technician was lazy. My friend noted that her technician had worked there awhile, but that mine was pretty new. Whereas mine took every opportunity to make things just right and really treated me, hers went through the motions mindlessly. The difference in the end product was evident - as was the difference in the tips.

If you've managed to do a good job building your company brand, and then teaching your associates how to deliver that ideal brand experience, what are you doing to reinforce that it so that your associates are equipped to continue to deliver the desired brand experience with consistency over time? Not being able to deliver on the expectations of your consumer is the fastest way to ruin a business.

Training for your associates is not something that can happen once, or even once a year. It's something that must be repeated until mastered... and then repeated again, and again and again. It's the part of brand development that many companies neglect. It's not enough to build a strong brand - you must then continue to defend it.

When's the last time you worked on your internal marketing plan?

Posted on September 7th, 2010 | Posted by Anna Lawrence | Permalink | Rss Feed