Assessment

Is your brand memorable or just visible?

Visibility and memorability are not the same thing. Eight questions to find out which one you’re actually paying for.

Visible means people see your name. Memorable means it surfaces on its own when a need arises. Answer honestly. Nobody sees your answers but you.

If ten locals were asked to name a business in your category, unprompted, would yours come up?

Honestly, I doubt it. A few would name us, mostly existing customers. Reliably, including people who've never bought from us.

Cover up the logo. Would your message still be recognizable as yours?

No. It could be any business in our category. Sometimes, depending who wrote it that month. Yes. The voice and personality are unmistakably ours.

What does your messaging lead with?

Price, offers, and availability. Quality and service, like everyone else says. What we stand for and the story behind it.

Do you have a recognizable sound, voice, or personality, like a jingle or a consistent tone?

No, and we've never tried. We've had a few, but they keep changing. Yes, the same one for years. People mention it.

What does your market presence look like over a full year?

Bursts when business is slow, then dark for months. Semi-regular, with gaps we don't plan. Consistent, year-round, at a level we can sustain.

Does your business have a story people actually repeat?

Not really. We sell what we sell. We have one, but we rarely tell it. Yes. We hear it back from customers in their own words.

Would someone who moved to your market two years ago know your name?

Probably not. Our reputation is with people who've been here a while. Maybe, if they happened to need us already. Likely. We stay visible enough that new residents hear of us.

When customers describe why they choose you, what do they say?

Mostly price or location. A mix: convenient, decent, fair. Something about who we are and what we stand for.

Please answer all eight questions first.

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Context worth knowing: in local market studies, the most common answer to “name a business in this category” is “don't know.” Gartner finds 46% of consumers can't tell most brands apart. The bar for memorable is lower than you'd think, because almost nobody clears it.

Memory decides who gets called first.

If your honest answers leaned forgettable, that’s fixable, and most of your competitors aren’t even trying.

Talk With MSM