Get to the Po!nt

Would Anyone Care If You Went Out of Business?

John Moore of Brand Autopsy blog has a provocative series of posts in which he asks: "If [company name here] went out of business tomorrow, would anyone care?" Subjects have ranged from Sears to Subaru.

When Moore asked about Eddie Bauer, he received a range of answers that hinted at the struggling clothier's strengths and weakness. Interestingly, readers who said they would miss Eddie Bauer tended to cite specific products, while detractors focused on the company's image. "They stock tall size in shirts and pants that fit off the shelf," said 6' 4" commenter Jamey. "Very few places meet that specific need." A contrary view from commenter Jon Gabriel: "I would identify EB as a mall-bound pretend-outdoors brand containing items that look vaguely rugged, but wouldn't last an hour in the wild."

Moore's inspiration for the series came from Bill Taylor and Polly LaBarre, who say it's the question every company needs to ask itself. How would your company fare in the harsh glare of self-examination?

• Do you provide such a unique product or service that customers would be saddened to see you go?


• Have you forged an emotional connection with your customers that another company couldn't duplicate?


• Could your employees find an employer that treated them as well as your company?

The Po!nt: "How does your company rank?" asks Moore. "Can you answer YES with conviction? Or, do you have to concede by answering NO?" If the latter, it's time to work on drumming up support.