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Back and Forth

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BRANDS are the most consistent brands. You cannot expect someone to put his or her trust into you if there's a lot of back and forth in what you do. People do business with consistent people. They run away from businesses and people who are inconsistent.

Consistency isn't something that people find neat or nice. It's something they desperately want from a business. They aren't looking for a Johnny-come-lately or someone who's here-today-gone-tomorrow. They want to know they can depend on you. Consistency builds confidence with consumers. It shows you are a brand people can rely on. A brand that if they put their trust into, you won't let them down. 

For someone to become a fan of yours or your business, you must let them know they can always count on you to deliver. You have to be consistent and reliable. Establish a brand pattern that your customers are familiar with. Doing business with you should be predictable. A customer should never be surprised unless it is a pleasant surprise.

Take McDonald’s, for example. No matter which McDonald's you go to in the world, you know exactly what to expect. Sure, it's not the best food in the world, but that is beside the point. They have put the proper systems in place so that they can easily duplicate their service. It's no coincidence they are one of the largest brands in the world. If they were inconsistent from location to location, they wouldn't last.

Customers want to know that they can expect ...

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