This is Part Two in a series of blog posts aimed at helping small businesses create unique marketing strategies for themselves. You can view Part One Here.

Do Your Customers Know the Real You?

Think of this before you even think of marketing. Branding should be a a part of your business plan right beside your insurance and accounting strategies. Just getting a logo when you are starting up is nothing more than table stakes. These days you have to think more than that. Crafting an identity is an investment that saves resources in the long term. Not having a well thought out identity is like wearing sweatpants on a date and hoping they will look past them and see the “real you”. As much as we don’t like to admit it, image and first impressions matter.

Whether you are selling cell phones or financial advice, The one thing that can differentiate your business from everyone else is you! The individual is the one competitive advantage that no one can duplicate. Don’t be afraid to be the face of your company, make yourself available and approachable. Then people can get to know the real you.

Are you Just selling something or are you creating an experience for your customers?

What does Harley Davidson sell? They don’t sell motorcycles. They sell an experience. According to Harley-Davidson`s President and CEO, Richard Teerlink “what we sell is the ability for a 43 year old accountant to dress in black leather, ride through small towns and have people be afraid of him” they sell a “rebel lifestyle”. It’s that kind of thinking that creates a memorable brand that will be around for years to come.

Here’s another example of how thinking about the “experience” can elevate your company’s image and branding.

Back to Nike. Nike doesn’t sell shoes, they sell the experience of using Nikes, the feeling of being a winner. They condense that whole message into three words “Just Do It”. It’s a question of being the only one in your market offering something unique. You need to find your uniqueness and commit to it. There may be other people doing what you do, but in your eyes, you should be the only person doing it right.

Branding is an invaluable process and one that can crystallize your personal needs as well as those of your organization. BUT, if you and your company are moving in different directions, no amount of visual treatments will solve your problems. You have to insist upon establishing a plan that aligns all of your interests in a single stream. That way every subsequent decision will be made in a consistent and lucid fashion.

In todays world you can benefit greatly by having your business and personal brand be interchangeable. So many companies market themselves based on what their competitors are doing. There are so many things in common with these businesses. Talk to two identical construction companies and ask them what their best qualities are: They’ll probably say service and quality. While that’s great, can you believe that when everyone says it? How do you know? Find out what makes you TRULY unique and lead with those qualities in every way you market yourself.

Be unique but be honest. Your company has more in common with your competitors than it doesn’t. So many businesses market themselves based on what their competitors are doing. You have to move past talking about “great quality, service and price” and find something that is actually notable. “Great Service” is pretty much the worst story ever told in marketing-because everyone else says the same thing. This may require you to openly admit something you don’t do, aren’t good at or are obsessive about. But most importantly, be honest! Good things rarely start with misleading your customers.

Thanks again for reading. I’ll be back with another post in a week or so, in the meantime if you have any questions feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Good luck!