Brand Awareness and Customization

Information Packaging (binder covers, presentation folders, guest services directory covers, and even menu covers) can be a form of advertising by supporting or even creating brand awareness. Brand awareness is realized in part through product differentiation which is a form of customization. For information packaging, customization is achieved by creating distinctive features through design, materials, decoration, and purpose, or a combination of these. Thus the bindery industry and design agency statements about ‘custom binder covers, ‘custom presentation folders’, etc., are references to products that differentiate themselves from other such products with more than just a name. There is one additional aspect of brand awareness that is too often overlooked; customer service. The potential value available through great customization can be lost if customer service is relegated to a lesser ‘distinctive feature’. Read, The Value of Customer Experience, Quantified

Brand awareness implies that ‘attention’ has been captured. Customers and potential customers react upon seeing the product; a perception is triggered. Such perception can be based on either experience or ‘reports’. Whatever the source, a positive perception is important. Providing ‘value’ in all respects is superior differentiation. “Providing on-going value to your target market is vital to better brand recognition and becoming the well-respected “go-to” person in your field”;Sharon Michaels, Forbes.

Unsolicited testimonials are a valuable source for learning about a company’s customer service.