Brand Makeovers

When conducting customer surveys, try to get them to reveal their perceptions of your brand, of what you stand for in their minds. One effective way to do this is to give them words—say, 20 to 30—to choose from in a survey. Then ask them to select seven to nine words that most represent what your company is to them. Include words you hope they'll choose, as well as words you hope they won't. Use several words that mean something similar, as this could help you understand subtle nuances in the perceptions.