Today I was thinking about Business Image, how to build a strong brand? After a couple of Google searches I found this article – the famous 10 tips to build and market your image:

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/business-image-build-and-market-29721.html

While reading I remember a presentation the Walmart CEO did. Mike Duke presented his priorities for Walmart, and one of them was Walmart brand. Immediately, I asked myself what else he wanted to change in Walmart brand. It was widely recognized, and powerful.

He explained that the Internet was “flattening the world” (maybe an outdated expression, but still interesting), making products accessible to everyone, and not only this but also allowing prices to be lower to anyone anywhere. The journey Sam Walton led its organization to focus on price rewarded Walmart to be the largest retail in the world, but during the journey some bridges were burned. That time, there was a popular movement against Walmart led by the families who lost their jobs in the small and local retailers. It is known that when Walmart opens a store in a city, the small retailers close their doors because they can’t compete on price. Mike Duke explained that that movement could decrease customer preference for his stores, therefore he would like to change Walmart brand and make it more friendly in order to keep attracting customers. He was focusing not only on the brand but also on the customer preference.

Another example that came to my mind was image built during job interviews.  The quality and type of interactions I have had with companies, investors, and friends during this time to discover my next career move.  I have had very interesting interactions with a large diversity of people and recently I was interviewed by an executive of a large vendor who, in my opinion,  did a poor job. Besides my impression about him/her, which does not matter much for his company, my impression about his/her employer is no longer as good as it was before the interview. I can decline the offer because of it, however the worst is if I become a buyer, a reseller, or a consultant of similar products and services as his/hers. Can you imagine the disaster?

My recommendation here is not only to read the article, but also to think that every interaction you have affect your personal AND your company images. Build both.

Carpe Diem!

Dario Loriato