The Brand Factory's Branding Blog

It's OK to 'Zag'

Justin Cooper Added about 1 year ago

When it comes to talking about what our business offers, most of us like to fish where the fish are. We work out what the market wants, and deliver it. It's the first rule of business: Give the market what it wants and you can't go wrong – right?

Unfortunately this doesn't always work – especially when there are competitors around. That's because by simply offering the market what it wants, we end up offering the same things as our competitors. And from the customers' perspective, it ends up looking like a sea of 'sameness.' They simply can't tell the difference between one company and another.

Do a Google search on Lawyers in Sydney and the same words pop up nearly everytime (go ahead, give it a go). Words like 'experienced,' 'tailored,' 'understanding' and 'high level' appear on virtually everyone's website. Boredom sets in for the customer.

Everyone is rushing to say the same thing. Everyone is 'zigging.'

So how about trying a different strategy? How about 'zagging' instead?

Oops. Someone hit the panic button. What, you mean break ranks and claim something different? Bit risky isn't it? Well no actually. As long as your 'zag' is founded on the truth about what really makes you and your business tick, and addresses a fundamental customer need – then it's actually a lot safer.

Why don't more businesses 'zag?' The answer is complex – but it has a lot to do with the perceived safety of herd mentality, and the popular belief that it's simply too hard to innovate or offer something new – because if it was that easy, some one would have already thought of it.

So instead of 'zagging,' businesses spend money on a new logo and a flashy website. They think that slapping some paint on the problem will fix it. But this solution is only skin-deep. The basic offer – the so-called 'USP' (short for 'Unique Selling Proposition') or 'point of difference' remains the same. It might fool someone at first glance, but it lacks substance. People will quickly see that nothing's really changed.

OK – so we've decided to give the 'zag' theory a go. Where do we start?

How can we go about creating a point of difference for our business?

Well the good news is that you already have one. That's because if you run a small to mid-sized business, you are your brand. As the owner or senior manager of an SME brand, your own personality and values are reflected by that brand. People see you as representing your brand. And as we all have a unique set of skills, and a different view of the world from everyone else – it means our brands automatically have the potential to be unique.

As the owner or senior manager of a business, how do you tap into this innate uniqueness?

The first step to take is to ask yourself why you created or joined your business. What was the driving force? What did you really want to achieve, or change about the market you operate in?

The trouble with this line of questioning is that we're often not exactly honest with ourselves. We tend to guild the lily a little. We put on 'rose tinted' glasses, and we come up with answers that will sound good. But this doesn't work. People can spot a fake a mile off.

How does this line of questioning help us? Because this is the first step to creating a story about your business and what you do that's founded on the truth. The truth about what drives you as a person, and what difference you want to make in your market, in your world. The truth about what you love doing – what inspires you. Once you do this, you and your business are aligned. You feel unstoppable – because you are doing what you are supposed to do – not what someone else thinks you should. Isn't that why you left the corporate world in the first place? To do work you really enjoy? To make a difference?

Armed with this new approach, you can take the mask off and be yourself in your business. You can use language that comes naturally, rather than to reach for the clichéd business terms everyone else is using.

You can then go about building a unique brand story for your business.

Why a story? Because this is personal – it is your story – woven into your business. And because we all love stories – we've grown up with them. They engage us – entertain us.

So next time you are considering a 'brand make over,' don't just slap some lipstick on. Go the whole hog and 'zag' your business.

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Posted by Justin Cooper at 9:02 pm 0 Comments