Many companies use a communication strategy to target new customers. But one vital thing is often overlooked: alignment.

Alignment. The characteristic of honest people is that you can basically give them the same subject in different forms and their reaction is the same. If you link that to company communication, what does that mean?

Consumers form an opinion about and start building a relationship with companies. That’s why one drinks Coke and the other Pepsi. Attitude and behaviour determine your success and the level of loyalty you will receive from your buyers.

The problem with most companies is that they don’t seem to understand the importance of alignment in communication strategy. Showing the company/brand has a personality creates a relationship. Relationships are based on trust, whatever kind of relationship you’re talking about. So when you shift between one way of communicating (let’s say acting like an 80 year old) to another (say a teenager) you aren’t recognisable and therefore not able to build up or maintain a relationship.

A week ago I was talking to my dad about his decision to buy a new car. He was going over several brands and considering 3 different cars. None of which were a Volvo though. Then I started to make some jokes about him being in his 50’s and said, “Well, dad, what about a Volvo?” On which he answered me that he actually considered the C30. Now, you don’t know my dad, but he used to refer to Volvo’s as Vulva’s. I think that says enough.

My point: earlier this year we saw Volvo repositioning in order to introduce the C30. Volvo has chased away a lot of ‘old’ customers in order to promote the new ‘younger’ C30 to the targeted audience. Whether this was a mistake or not is another question, but it did raise a big question about who Volvo is. What do they stand for and, if you are an ‘older’ Volvo customer, do you still want to be associated with this brand that creates cars driving in fantasy worlds with gossiping eyes.

It blurred who Volvo is. Still does. My old association was safety, golf and golden retrievers. Now, I’m not sure whether I should see golfers on acid walking their neon green retriever or a very safe, 5 star NCAP all seeing eye which is on a gossip role. That might be a problem.

Repositioning isn’t a problem. But you need to make sure it’s intensive and has an immediate follow up. Just one campaign on a new product and then media silence for half a year blurs your image and effects the trust your existing customers have.

Alignment needs to be developed in a company itself. Internally the company needs to make sure everybody is heading in the same direction. People make a company and the end user considers them as the personification of the brand. They have their own input and attitude, no matter how strict your communication guidelines are. Make sure they too are convinced of what the brand is and does. Gut feeling needs to become company feeling – not vice versa.

It’s not what you think you are. It’s what they think you are.