What is the power of a logo? Of course it is what stands behind it that is important – the meaning and the value that it conveys to those who see it. Most importantly those who stand alongside it, are able to acquire some of the values of the brand, by being associated with it. This is part of what lies behind brand loyalty – consumers like a particular brand of car because they have the reassurance that the brand stands for quality. But it also says something about the purchaser, if he or she buys this brand of product.
We see this also in products in our own industry – maybe even more so. Because flooring contractors are being paid to perform a job, to provide a service, for our customer, it is really important that the products that we use don’t fail and can be trusted. That’s why we use products from branded suppliers from subfloor preparation to floor coverings. We can be as sure, as we can be about anything, that they are going to perform.
So how can flooring contractors get that same seal of approval for their business as they do by using branded products – that instantly recognisable mark that sets them apart from others in the trade? Of course their own marketing, and building their own brand and reputation, are important. But there is another level – join the CFA!
Because of what stands behind the CFA, the work that we do, the benefits that we offer, we know from member feedback that the logo is enormously important out there in the marketplace. It helps to differentiate from other companies who don’t have it, because wrapped up within it, there is a host of messages and benefits. Prospective customers can see that your business has things in place which others might not have.
Whether they see the CFA logo on a tender document, on your van, on an email signature or in some other format, any prospective customer will know that your company is established in business and meets the criteria for membership of the contract flooring industry’s only trade association that represents those that fit resilient, textile and timber products. It is effectively a form of industry regulation, where obtaining trade references is a pre-requisite of membership.
The CFA has always stood for quality when it comes to materials used, standard of workmanship and also the general approach to business, and it is proudly used throughout the supply chain. Increasingly, larger private and public clients, including many local authorities, are now specifying CFA membership as a condition of contract approval.
To display the CFA logo means you are serious about your business. It means you want to get value for money from the £654 membership fee, including business services, marketing opportunities, and lobbying on behalf of the industry. But it also means that you are associating your business with quality, because by joining and proudly displaying the logo you have demonstrated that the CFA is happy to have you on board as one of the leading companies in our industry.