The Importance of Being Earnest

One of my favorite writers, Oscar Wilde, wrote a play called “The Importance of Being Earnest”, about two men who each pretend to be someone they are not to impress two young women they fall in love with. Jack, the main character, tells his friend, Algernon, that he is “Jack in the country and Earnest in town.” The story takes twists and turns and cleverly uses words to uncover each character’s deceptions.

Now, I am sure you are wondering what this has to do with marketing or business. The answer is that the story can serve as a good lesson to business owners: Do you live up to your customer’s expectations? Are you really who you say you are?

Your customers’ impressions begin before they ever walk in your door. Marketing isn’t just promotions and advertising. It also includes the physical appearance of your store and how you and your employees look and act.
Take an honest look through your customers’ eyes and notice the following:
• Are your window displays current, interesting and well-maintained?
• Is the cash register area cluttered?
• Are you or your employees eating or drinking in front of customers?
• How do you and your employees dress?
• Do you and your employees address customers in a polite and professional manner?
• Are your employees knowledgeable about your products or services?
• Are your hours really convenient?
• Are you closed even though your hours say you are supposed to be open?
• Is your store or office clean and organized?
• How do you resolve customer complaints or problems?

Facing reality is not always easy. You will never know if you may be missing out on sales from people who don’t even venture in because your store looks messy and cluttered from the street. If you find that your reality is not in line with how you want people to perceive you, it is time to make some changes.

Your marketing materials and web site should also truly reflect the goods and services you offer. People are inundated with messages everywhere they go. If your brochures, fliers, ads or web site are unprofessional, cluttered with a lot of copy and bad photos or artwork, you will achieve the same effect as a cluttered store front.
Instead, you want your messages to stand out in a good way. Spending a little extra time or money to have them professionally produced is more economical and effective in the long run.

So, take notice of how your customers perceive you. If you find you are not who you say you are, own up to your shortcomings and discover “The Importance of Being Earnest”.