Why Quality is Still King

Have you ever seen a storefront with a dirty sign or a billboard that was starting to fade? Chances are you have and it’s equally likely that you don’t remember the store or the product that was being sold. Or even worse, what you saw left such a terrible impression that you vividly remember the company and will never go there or buy their products. In a world where consumers have endless options it’s important to present your brand with a level of quality, even if what your selling lacks it. Often times consumers’ first exposure to a product is visual. Being able to make a powerful first impression can be the difference between gaining a lifelong customer or your product collecting dust. This is why quality is still king.

Consider this: When a company uses a grainy, poorly shot, poorly scripted commercial they are sending a number of messages and none of them are positive. One negative message being conveyed is you don’t believe in your product and don’t want to sink money into something you think will fail. If you think about advertisements as an investment in yourself and your product, what does it say to the consumer if you are only willing to invest a little bit?

Another message the consumer might infer is that your company is not doing well financially. This leads the consumer to wonder, “Why aren’t they doing well? Is there a problem with the product?” It may be the case that your company is having financial hardships despite having an amazing product, but that doesn’t mean the consumer will see it that way. A lack of production quality could also give consumers the impression your company lacks the ability to discern quality from substandard. The consumer may assume your company lacks the ability to perform other tasks at a high level of quality as well.

On the flip side, high quality advertisements and branding can set your company apart from the competition, even if your product is almost identical. A high quality logo or video sends a strong message about a company. Quality production value is like a firm handshake while looking someone in the eye, it exudes confidence. A willingness to invest in high quality production does not mean you need to break the bank, or hire famous actors as spokespeople. Nor does a commercial need to be earth shattering or life changing. If you do quality ads, you send a message that quality is important to your company and the consumer will make the assumption that your products are quality as well.

A well-done ad does not guarantee that a product is well made, and a low quality storefront sign does not mean a company is incapable of providing satisfactory service. But what is guaranteed is that a consumer’s perception of your product, service or company will weigh heavily on their buying process. Food for thought.