You know your strengths. You know how to convince your customers why your product or service is superior to your competition. You know everything you have done to make your product or service the best. But, none of this matters if the only thing potential clients know about your company, your products or services is how they perceive your company.
The Power ~ Perception:
Your current client-base already knows about you. Or if you are well-known in a market, customers already know something about you – either good or bad. However, when it comes to attracting new clients who do not know anything about you or your brand the only thing to make a difference of whether or not potential clients choose to do business with you is their perception of you.
Oftentimes a company may have a superior product or service but their marketing and sales tools do not accurately communicate the true value and benefits to their potential clients…creating a poor perception.
A great tool to illustrate the power of perception is to look at your marketing collateral – does it accurately depict the image of a successful company? Sure, you may be a small company struggling but the perception you want to display is a successful, professional and competent company with the means to handle any and all challenges effortlessly.
Ask yourself if you’d like to do business with your company. Look at your business cards, brochures, website and other marketing materials and decide if what you are putting out there is how you would like to be perceived. Are you a company you’d like to do business with?
It is the same concept in your personal life. The way you dress, the car you drive, the way you carry yourself all create an image of how you are being perceived by the outside world. It is what you are putting out there for all to see and to make a judgment. Good or bad ~ it is reality, it is perception.
The power of perception is everything when it comes to winning new business and gaining respect within your industry. It is important for you to ALWAYS come across as a confident and competent company. You have the power to create a perception reflecting how good your products or services are and how you are value added to your clients’ and potential clients’.
Remember:
“We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.“
~ Anais Nin
The Next Chapter by Carrie L. Devone 
You are very right. Once upon a time, a CEO made the following statement; “If you see a man and his shoes are well polished, then he is a person you can trust”. Carrie you and your team are doing great! You have put some more ideas in my head and I will come for consultations. God bless you.
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Carrie: How true ! It takes a keen sense of objectivity to without prejudice determine the true value / value add of a business, product or service.
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Perception is paramount in business (nonprofits and for profits). This blog came right on time for me. I was in the process of explaining this exact topic to one of the OBDC clients. I did not want to hurt her feelings about her perception and I was able to let her read it on the blog. Seeing it in black and white makes it very clear for business people. We have to keep it real with potential/active entrepreneurs that how you put your brand out there is very important. Thanks Carrie, for keeping it real.
***Robin***
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