Image is Perception

What image do you present to the marketplace?  Your personal image is a combination of your grooming, your words and your actions.

Just as you never have a second chance to make a first impression on a personal level, the company level is even more intensive because there are multiple impressions being formed every day.  Your professional image becomes a combination of individual impressions.  This has been intensified by social media.  An impression which a few decades ago would have been shared with a few people can now be shared with hundreds in the click of a mouse.

Personal image

If you ever think for a moment that personal life does not reflect on business life, just ask Tiger Woods, Lance Armstrong, OJ Simpson or any other sports icon whose tarnished personal reputation has cost millions of dollars in lost endorsements.  Ask professional sports teams about the damage caused by a rogue player.  Ask Enron, BP or Tylenol about corporate damage due to the actions of a few employees.  BP and Tylenol lost millions in the effort to correct the error; Tylenol bounced back in the 1970s after the tainted drug scare and BP is in the process of repaying obligations and recovering now from the oil spill.

Company image is a collection of individual personal images.  Movie stars are cautioned to appear in public properly groomed at all times.  Filter that concept down to an individual level.  Consider a picture posted on Facebook or a flippant remark posted online. Private does not mean invisible; if  words or images were ever posted online someone can find them.

Carpenters laugh about measuring twice and cutting once.  The same principle works for the actions of individuals; think two or three times before clicking “send.”

Personal grooming and attire reflects on both the personal and the professional image.

Company image

Your company image is more complex in the marketplace than a personal image.  The major difference between a small company and a mega corporation relative to public image is the number of individuals involved.  With the internet, the startup firm has an opportunity to play on the big stage with the major corporations.

Logo, colors and design

The economy is down and depending upon which source you believe, it is either inching back up or will remain down for multiple months.  In any case, history has proven that economic conditions resemble a roller coaster – what goes down will eventually return to robust and every bubble will burst.  Now is an excellent time to refresh.  Be ready for the economic upswing.

We know that every few years it is wise to revisit marketing trends.  Analyze and modernize the methods, words and images.  Some business practices remain consistent, “Recommend that entrepreneurs hire designers who work with printers and mailing companies.”

PrintPlace.com is a high quality printer with design capability which also has a mailing component.

Does your logo need a facelift?  Does your logo look fresh, progressive, professional and representative of your product or service?  Does the logo display properly in a variety of sizes and shapes without stretching or distorting?   Are your colors attractive and appropriate for your business?

Be careful about including a picture in the logo.  I had to redo my entire website top banner due to an outdated picture.  The practice of including a picture is common with professional speakers.  The promo material consistently displays a youthful image; in the blink of an eye thirty years passes as a much older speaker appears in person.  Keep your company image fresh and current.

Your company image is conveyed by an attractive colorful logo, artistic design and consistent presentation.

Your business cards, stationery, brochures, website and other marketing media should reflect a consistent image.

Elements of a company image

As stated earlier, a company image is more complex than a personal image.  The company image includes the core business, financial performance, reputation of the product performance, degree of innovation, policies on all levels and trends in the market.

Just as a charismatic leader can boost a company’s image, Carly Fiorina’s rein at HP ended in a cloud and failed to enhance HP’s company image.

Personal and professional images all come down to attention to detail.