...when you're not in the room? 

This is the heart of how your brand is perceived and communicated. So how do you know how your brand is perceived? 

Surveying is one effective way to ask your existing customer base, but it may leave some information out. Ensure that you ask questions in ways that the subject can easily answer and keep it short.

A combined practice of asking your customers to provide you feedback, monitoring social media and review sites such as Yelp and Google, and understanding the search terms that website visitors use to find your site will help paint the picture. 

For example, when trying to determine perception on value and pricing, ask the subject to correlate your brand with other well-known brands that are nationally known. 

Here's an example:

Please select the brand that you would liken your company to:

• Macy's
• Target
• Walmart
• Dollar General 

Once you have an idea of what your brand perception is, ask yourself: "Does this match what we believe our brand stands for?"

This is one of the most important and self-aware questions a brand can ask themselves. Is their own perception in line with public perception? If not, is it aspirational and achievable to shift that brand perception?

Understanding how your brand is perceived can be incredibly valuable, if your organization is prepared to act on the findings. If there is a big disconnect between who you think buys and how they value your product or service—be prepared to make adjustments.