What is the promise of your brand?

The concept of a Brand Promise isn’t new. It’s a clear articulation of your unique value proposition.

It means this is what you’ll get if you buy what we sell. What are you willing to do, provide, deliver that is of value?

Simple.

But could you offer more?

I promise that our printer will print remarkably clear documents and photos at XX per minute. Installation will be quick and easy. And it will connect seamlessly to our computer whether through USB or wi-fi.

That’s your core.

I bought 3 HP printers last week. The first one I bought on Amazon, based on the best ratings in the category. I got it, hooked it up. I try to install the drivers. It says that the installation cannot be completed. I restart. I re-download the drivers. None of it works. It won’t install. I google and basically people just say that a lot of times the installer for this model often doesn’t work. Why no one on Amazon mentioned this, I have no idea. I chalk it up to a bad model, print a return label and take it to UPS.

Since I really do need a printer, the next day, I go to Costco and buy another higher model HP. Installation was relatively fast and easy. I printed a test print over wi-fi and it looked great. About 10 minutes later, I needed to print a document, so I hit print. It said the printer wasn’t connected. I check the on-board screen on the printer and it says it’s connected. But no matter what I do, when I try to actually print, it says it’s not connected. If I turn the printer off and on, it does manage to stay connected, but only for a few moments. I decide that is not remotely reasonable. So I return it to Costco and buy an even higher HP model.

I figure third time’s the charm. Everything seems to be ok. But yet again, it keeps dropping the connection. I google again. Maybe it’s the way my network is set up. Maybe I missed a step in the installation. I learn that this problem is quite common for HP with tons of people complaining about it. After scouring hours for a solution, I finally found a hack that keeps it connected.

You might ask why after, all of this, I even considered buying HP for a third time. The only reason is because they were the only printer brand in stock at Costco and they have an iron clad return policy. Yes, Costco is known for offering quality products in bulk for a lower cost. And that’s their core. But beyond that, I know that if I buy something at Costco and I don’t like it, I can return it, no questions asked. That’s a promise.

I hope I never have to buy another HP printer again. But I will return to Costco week after week.

Promise the core. Exceed expectations. That’s a brand promise.