Inside Reality vs Outside Perception

The key to great marketing is communicating your company's identity to the outside world. This starts with understanding the difference between your inside reality and the outside perception. It's more than just a matter of how well you operate or the value you provide. How the outside world views your business can make or break your success.

Marketing aims to increase awareness of your business among prospects and customers, build trust, and convince them to choose your products or services. The ultimate aim is for them to acknowledge the existence of your business, understand that it can solve their problems, and recognize the value it offers.

Understanding the importance of aligning a company's inside reality with its outside perception is not just crucial, it's a potential game-changer. This awareness cannot only help you avoid potential marketing challenges but also pave the way for a successful business strategy, leading to a brighter future for your company. Your inside reality reflects everything that makes your business outstanding—your skills, expertise, customer service, operational procedures, and commitment to excellence. Your competitive advantage in the marketplace is rooted in your inside reality.

Success in any market hinges on aligning your inside reality with what the market demands. But it's not just about alignment. Even after achieving this, you have the power to use effective marketing to convey your inside reality to your target audience. This power can influence their perception and drive your business forward, giving you the control to shape your business's future.

I vividly remember this particular event because it illustrates this significant point. Living in North Texas, most homeowners are familiar with the black clay that causes foundation shifts due to the extreme wet and dry seasons, leading to cracks, sticking doors, and broken pipes. Thankfully, we found a company with an outstanding reputation through word of mouth. However, when the owner and crew arrived in a beat-up, rusted-out pickup truck, and some crew members were shirtless, my wife and I began to doubt their credibility and almost called off the project. 

Before we could make a final decision, the crew, despite their unconventional appearance, immediately got to work and labored tirelessly for three days straight. They installed 32 piers at an incredibly reasonable price, and to our amazement, we have not experienced any foundation problems in 25 years. Sadly, the small company eventually called it quits. They were highly skilled and produced excellent work, but their downfall was their poor public image. Although they had a robust inside reality, they suffered from a negative outside perception.

Ultimately, how customers and prospects perceive all their interactions with your company influences your business. This perception is shaped by their past experiences with your business and your external communications. You not only need to provide exceptional customer service to shape the perception of your business; it is imperative that you create a tremendous outside perception, and that is where SmartArt Branding excels!