When you chose to look to the leader in your industry and copy them you probably figure – “hey they must be doing something right,” you only do damage to your brand and confuse your own audience. From a brand image perspective you blend in or as we love to say it – “you are drowning in a sea of sameness.” While it may be natural to look to others for inspiration, it is more important to draw from them elements that can improve on, and an image you can differentiate from.If you believe yourself to be the better mouse trap, then this is you moment to shine. After establishing an effective positioning strategy is step seven, it is important that you now promote that advantage by differing yourself on purpose so that the customer not only registers with the offer but can distinguish you easily against all comers. Whether you are choosing colors for your image or sound bites for your commercials, be the ying to your competitor’s yang.
It is our intention that you keep differentiation in the back of your mind when ever you do anything to drive your company forward. Step out as the leader you are. Never be a follower. By copying other strategies you could actually be doing more harm than just blending in you could be copying something that is not working for them either, only they are too preoccupied to notice.
Your Notebook To Do:
Answer the following Questions and put the ACTIONS in your To Do Notebook
- Believe in yourself and your brand.
- How can you be the leader that you are?
- How can you be different from your competitor?
- In step 7 you established an effective positioning strategy, now promote that advantage by differing yourself on purpose.
