Manage the Evidence

I heard the story about a CPA dressed in a dark blue suit, white shirt and a “Power Tie” who interviewed a similarly dressed graphic designer.  After the interview, the CPA told his partner, “We can’t hire this designer.  One look at how he was dressed and you know that he can’t be very creative.”

This is a good example of managing the evidence.  Had the designer been more flamboyantly dressed, he might have been hired.  While the CPA had dressed to project the image he wanted for himself, that same image did not work for the designer.

Managing the evidence is particularly important for a service business.   The quality of medical and dental care, accounting and legal services, and a plethora of other services is intangible.  So how does a consumer form an opinion about one of these services?   From tangible evidence, that’s how.  This could be the quality of the organization’s printed materials, the cleanliness and modernity of the location, visible evidence of degrees and certifications, and a host of other tangibles.  What tangible evidence are you providing to influence consumer perceptions about your business?