For any business to survive there are several keys. First the business must offer a great product. Second, the business must effectively manage its costs to produce that product. And third the business must have great
marketing public relations companies.
Even businesses with the first two of these principles covered fail miserably without great marketing public relations. History is filled with businesses that have failed, not because they offered a poor product or could not manage costs, but because of
public relations in marketing.
When we talk of marketing public relations, we are talking about a business' reputation. Without a good reputation many businesses fail. If a business originally began with a poor product, but then improves the product, the damage may have already been done. It may be too late to save such a business. People will always associate that first product with the company.
On the other hand, if a business begins with a good product and builds a good name, the public is willing to forgive that company if for a short while it offers a product of poorer quality than the first product sold.
This is not to say that it is impossible for a company that began with a poor product to overcome that barrier. It is saying that it will take a lot of work in the marketing public relations area.
There are several ways that businesses can overcome such temporary setbacks in reputation.
If your product is small, offer free samples. How many people remember the bitter diet sweetener saccharine? Those little white pills dissolved easily enough and did give the food a sweet taste, although it was a bit like drinking earwax. In 1983, a free gumball came in the mail that contained an artificial sweetener. Overnight, the reputation of artificial sweeteners changed. The brilliant public relations director of Nutra-sweet had changed the image of a product and people began to insist that everything use aspartame as the sweetener.
Offer a better warranty. Kia motors is a great example of this strategy. The first of these Korean vehicles sold in the United States were inexpensive little cars that did not last. Kia began improving their vehicles, but they had a reputation to overcome. In the mid-1990s they began a ten year 100, 000 mile warranty campaign. At the time this type warranty was not offered by any other vehicle manufacturer. The advertising campaign slogan was "Our wills are strong, our butts are too." Today Kia has gained a respectable part of the market.
A better price can also help to overcome a former bad product. People may overlook a former bad product if you currently offer a better product at a lower price. The nickels and dimes strategy says to begin with a low price for a better product. If your product is equal to or better than your competition, you will gather a following that is willing to over look your past mistakes.
More Information:
Categories
