On many occasions over the years, either in my head or, on the odd occasion, out loud I would say something along the lines of “You need to respect me more”. But unfortunately, in much the same way that a genie can’t make someone fall in love with you, you also cannot demand respect.
Just as there is no credibility in declaring, “I’m sexy”, quality, iconic, honest and caring aren’t qualities we can self-proclaim.
One way round this is to suggest them, through visual clues and descriptive language. Another is to find examples and describe them, or to find credible people to vouch for you.
The best way though, is to make sure you’re living these values. If you want to be loved, then be lovable.
If you want customers to trust you, then be trustworthy at every stage. If you hope people will enjoy the quality of your service or product, then make sure it’s up there. If you think people should see you as caring, then care about all your stakeholders, and make sure they care about theirs.
We always strive to create brands that people love; to create advocates, not just customers. And for such a love affair, it takes both parties to be loving and be respectful. But it often starts with you taking the first steps being loveable and being respectable. What will you do first?
