Business Image

One of the most important things in a business is a clean image. I started a small business when I was twelve years old and built it up in a very large small business and then franchised the business. I retired at age 40 after setting up franchises in 23 states and four countries. It is an automotive and cleaning franchise. We always believed in image and cleanliness. How can you sell cleaning services when your equipment is ratty looking, it shows a complete disrespect for the customer.

Image and cleanliness were issues brought forth by some of the leaders of Franchising, such as Ray Kroc of McDonalds and Tom Monhan of Dominos Pizza. That tradition in franchising helps build brand loyalty and shows respect and pride in your work. When Fred Smith started Federal Express, now simply Fed Ex, re-named by the customers, he showed respect by insisting that all delivery vans be pressure washed nightly. If you look at the manual for a Starbucks, 1/2 of it is not how to make coffee, it is about customer service, cleanliness and image. Why? Respect for the customers, employees and Brand Name. Obviously many in business do not believe in image and few in Brand Name. You should in your business. So many of our competitors over the years did not, beating them in the market place was easy. Many times the independent mobile detailing outfits or mobile truck washing companies we competed against did not have a name on the vehicle or trailer the used in the business. Many had not even painted their rigs? Any color really. Heck, they could just paint it white with a blue stripe and put Plain Wrap-Pressure Washing. Anything is better than nothing, but image is important to your business too, any business really. Not only does it degrade the entire industry full of reputable practitioners but also it is degrading to the individual business and their customers when a practitioner fails to maintain a proper image.

I was always and still am today obsessed with image and this obsession in business has served me well, you need to think about this and constantly audit your image from the customer's perspective, look around stand out side your store and just stare, what do you see? Do the same for the competition, what are they lacking? Are you lacking the same, can you improve your image? Here is the first page of the first chapter of my company's Confidential Operations Manual. The entire set of manuals at my Company is over 1000 pages, I know because I was so concerned that it be right, I wrote the damn thing myself. It all starts with image:

IMAGE

The single easiest way to increase sales is to look professional. People believe what they see. If you look the part, you get the part. We at franchise headquarters have gone overboard with every detail. If you haven't noticed, everything is a bright shiny yellow. The trucks, flyers, shirts, hoses, vacuum - YELLOW!! The rest is either blue or silver. We are committed to keeping a positive image in the mind of every customer.

As you are probably aware, Wash Guys has never sacrificed its high public image for money. What you may not realize is that a high public image may not cost as much as you are led to believe.

In the service business, image is fifty percent (50%) of your business. The impact you have on your customers, whether it be your appearance, cleanliness of your equipment or style of your classy color brochure, is forever being re-audited. Even if your first impression is great, you can lose it just as fast if you fail to handle simple details.

Here are a few areas that are the cornerstone of your "new image".

·The clothes you wear

·The way you carry yourself

·The equipment you use

·The people you hire

·The advertising you choose

·Phone conversations

·Your work quality

·Cleanliness of your truck

·Your general appearance

·Literature and business cards

Image in Business are so important, especially in the service business or franchise, so when we see competitors in any market who disregard image and still are able to get business, we realize that our company in such a market is an absolute no-brainer. There are many problems in the Mobile Washing Business with the competition and we are cleaning it up, city by city, state by state; both figuratively and literally. Now ask yourself what is you image like? Can you blowout your competition thru superior image? Have you even thought about this recently? Just like Sam Walton, Ray Kroc, Tom Monhan, Michael Dell, Fred Smith and countless others have in their industries. You can seize the lions share of your market if your will continually focus on your company's image. It worked for us as we seized opportunity to bring quality, image, cleanliness and service back the customer who has clearly been forgotten in so many markets in the United States. It is not everyday that a business walks the talk. Are you giving lip service to the image of your business or do you take it seriously, either way and what ever you do; It shows. Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

---

Profitable Partnering

Become your customers top-of-mind choice.Some of these snapshots of real... Read More

Branding Yourself To Increased Profitability

Successful Realtors know the importance of branding their identities into... Read More

How to Write Classified Ads that Get Results Now.

SELLING DIRECTLY FROM A CLASSIFIED AD Classified ads can be... Read More

Business Branding - How Character Affects Customers and Your Business Image

The public buys far more than just your products, services... Read More

How Brand as an Intellectual Property has Led to Corporate Globalisation?

IntroductionGlobalisation is referred to as a set of profound material... Read More

Brand Identity Company ? Brand Identity Guru

Hiring a brand identity company is very important. In every... Read More

Standing Under the Umbrella And Still Getting Wet

Make More Money Making a Name for YourselfCalling all realtors,... Read More

Image is EVERYTHING

The absolute foundation of your small business is your image.... Read More

Not So Stationary Stationery

The elements and functionality of the basic stationery system is... Read More

Logo-ize For Instant Identification & Increased Awareness

The task of creating an indelible impact on the memory... Read More

Do What Works

"Can you hear me now?"You'd be hard pressed to find... Read More

Brand Identity and Brand Image - Brand Identity Guru

It is important to distinguish between corporate identity, brand identity,... Read More

Brand Lo-o-o-o-o-ve...

So... how have you been building your brand lately?Now, I'm... Read More

The Trust Issue In Marketing

One of the prime motivating factors in the purchase decision... Read More

Branding Mistakes - Brand Identity Guru

1. It "sells itself." I don't need to market.Okay, you... Read More

Brand Strategy - Brand Value - Brand Identity Guru

Developing brand strategy is extremely critical. The most important asset... Read More

The MOST Expensive Mistake You Can Make

Most people who own a small business have a huge... Read More

Create a Niche: Stoke Your Market With Affiliate Branding

Propose success, demand performance, and brand your market with appeal.... Read More

Build Brand Identity Through Product Branding

Building a product into a brand leader is not easy,... Read More

Its Time For Some Steak

Recently, I was reviewing our website statistics. One of the... Read More

Branding: Bring Back the Jingle!

Did you grow up in the '70s and '80s? If... Read More

Three Brand Identity Myths That Will Bring Your Business Down

To begin, let's define "Brand Identity," which is the combination... Read More

Measuring Return On Investment

...or Is My Brand Working?To measure the impact and effectiveness... Read More

Clouds Gather Before A Storm: Utilizing The Power Of Brand

How brand management can help utility organisations to create a... Read More

Intelligent Design comes from Brand & Account Planners

I've been reminded recently, rather forcefully, that not all reality... Read More

Brand Love, Part 2

Last issue, I talked about increasing your Brand Love-- meaning... Read More

Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 1

OK, so you took the plunge and purchased your internet... Read More

All About Branding

In this article i will explain how you can make... Read More

Are You Brand Worthy?

Branding is one hot topic, although it is wildly misunderstood.... Read More

Corporate Identity - A Rough Guide

A rough guide to corporate identityThe tabloids report the millions... Read More

A Lesson in Branding from Paris Hilton

I have never been a fan of Paris Hilton.I see... Read More

Living Your Brand on the Web - Part 2

Now that everyone has conformed to Living Your Brand on... Read More

Quick Tactics To Brand Your Business And Make More Sales

This may come as a surprise... to you, but Branding... Read More