Is your business standing out from the crowd?
Is your business drowning in a sea of sameness? This is the challenge for many small businesses owners, particularly when their industry is saturated and full of noise. It’s especially true for the creative and services-based industries. The barrier to entry is low, websites are inexpensive or free to build and then there’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and now Clubhouse. We’re literally drowning in a sea of technology and it’s never been harder to make your business brand stand out from the competition.
It’s your chance to shine!
But here’s your opportunity to shine. Because while the competition is fierce, there is also a lot of sameness out there. Just do a quick search of your related industry and have a look at the many generic websites, boring logos, mundane sales pitches, and ‘send-you-to-sleep’ social media monologues out there. It’s mind-numbing. And be warned, look too long and you risk slipping into a mini coma. BUT here’s your chance!
Because while all other businesses are doing the same thing – looking the same, talking the same, posting the same boring content on social media, it’s never been easier for you to get creative. Now’s the time to show some personality, become innovative, and differentiate yourself in the same-same market. Get bold, be brave and stand out from the boring noise
1. Make your business brand remarkable
So, how do you do this? You need to become remarkable in your business. On your website, on your social media, anywhere your business has a presence. Because when you step into your remarkable zone, you’ll start standing out from your competitors. Because you’re doing things differently. When was the last time you were at a busy shopping centre? Just imagine, it’s crowded, full of people all doing the same thing. The generic shop music and muffled conversations all blend into a loud whir of white noise. No one is standing out and everyone is invisible. Then suddenly, you pass an entertainer who starts belting out the most beautiful version of “The Prayer” by Andrea Bocelli.
Everyone stops and take notices.
And although you’ve passed hundreds of other people, this guy stands out. He’s different and doing something so remarkably different, that he’s got your attention. In fact, he’s got everyone’s attention. Now this doesn’t mean you need to start singing Italian opera because honestly, if I did, it’d be equivalent of those annoying charity / energy salespeople that accost you as you walk past. People would run screaming from me like a scene out of a B-grade horror movie. But you need to be entertaining and real and so remarkably good that people can’t help but pay attention. THIS is what you need to do in every aspect of your business brand.
2. Decide to be different from the other brands
So, how exactly do you begin to be remarkable? Well, the first step is to break the mould, throw the broken shards of your old business brand away, and decide to be different. Like, right now. Just. Do. It. (remind you of any brand?) This shift in your thinking is the first step to improving your business brand and ridding yourself of old, unremarkable habits. If you want to rise above a culture of sameness, you need to be asking yourself:
“How can I do this differently?” So, from now on, imagine me, perched on your shoulder (a bit like a cheeky devil) asking:
“Is what you’re doing remarkable? Can you be more remarkable?” As the old saying goes …If you want to break the mould, get different results, you need to act and behave differently.
After all, if you don’t take action, nothing will ever change.
Have a think about successful businesses or influencers. What is it that makes them successful? Those who’ve achieved success have harnessed their remarkability, taken decisive action, and have dared to be different. They’ve created a unique and interesting business brand. This is the step everyone skips, are scared to do, or don’t value. But the trouble is, it’s the foundation for every successful business.
3. Get to know your ideal client
But being remarkable doesn’t mean doing what YOU think is remarkable. It means doing what your IDEAL CLIENT thinks is remarkable. The only way to discover this is to intimately know your audience. Who is your ideal client? Who are you talking to when you’re posting on social media or writing a blog? Have you considered their struggles and greatest desires? What are their problems? What are their likes and needs?
For example, a fitness instructor is talking to weight conscious people who want to lose weight, eat healthy and improve their fitness.
A business coach is talking to small business owners wanting to increase sales and ultimately make more money. This really is key. You need to establish who you’re talking to, so you can relate and then help them solve their problems.
4. Show some personality
Okay, let’s look at the fitness instructor. Now, say you’re looking for someone to whip you into shape. You put on some weight during COVID, you took up day drinking during lockdown and now your health is suffering. So, you’ve decided to do something about it, but you HATE exercise. You’ve done your research and narrowed it down to three personal trainers in your area. They’re all offering similar classes, promise results and are all priced the same. So, you check out their social media pages and blogs. All three personal trainers are posting similar information about diets, nutrition, and exercise goals.
But one personal trainer also shares behind the scenes photos of his ‘themed work outs’ where he gets clients to dress up. He has ‘fancy dress fitness Friday’ where everyone works out in a superhero or villain costume. He shares cheeky jokes, some of which are so inappropriate you spat your coffee all over your computer screen. This guy stands out from the rest and although you’ve never met, his personalised branding makes you feel you already know him.
And best of all, you think you might even enjoy working out with this guy.
That is how you make a brand remarkable
5. Share your brand story
Far too many businesses fall into the sameness trap. They create a logo, build the website, and start sharing photos and information about their services. And then wonder why they’re not getting clients. But it’s not enough to have a website and social media account.
Every business needs a story. A brand story is what makes your business more remarkable than any other business in your space. It’s meaningful, personal, and emotional. It is something your clients can relate to. Because everybody loves a good story. What’s my story?Well, my brand story has evolved over the years into various sub-stories. Or maybe I should call them chapters? Or mini dramas. A cheesy sitcom perhaps?
However, my current brand story is this.
I’m a mum of a child with ASD. I also was silly enough to have another child, in my 40s, and now live all the chaos that goes along with that! While this may seem trivial and silly, it makes me relatable to others, particularly those going through a similar experience.
And let me tell you, having an energetic and mischievous 3-year-old also provides great fodder for social media content and blogs.
This is your secret weapon that makes you unforgettable and attractive to potential clients.
Don’t have a story?
Of course you do! Everyone has a story. If you’re struggling to create your brand story, just ask yourself these questions.
• Who are you? Like, really?
• How did you get started in business?
• What was you big break or pivotal career moment?
• Do you have unique personality traits?
• Tell people what brings you joy?
• And what breaks your heart?
• Share the people who inspire you?
• Do you have any quirks or weird skills?
Now, you may not find yourself interesting, but others might. And if you can answer just some of these things, you’ll be more relatable, and more memorable to your audience. Your brand is everything! So brand everything and then spread it all over the internet like glitter.
6. Your logo
Let’s start with your logo.
Do you love your business logo?
Did you use stock elements that are a dime a dozen?
Have you used generic or dated fonts?
Did you buy a premade made Etsy logo that other businesses use?
Does it stand out amongst your competitors logos? Your logo is your brand stamp, so it needs to be fresh, new, show your personality and represent your brand. If it’s not, then it’s letting you down.
7. Web design
Your website is your store front so it should be AMAZING! Many small business owners say they just can’t afford to invest in web design. But I ask you, how can you not? A website is the first thing a prospective client sees when they’re researching and if you’ve got a generic looking website that’s outdated and not user-friendly, you are literally losing money. A poorly designed website affects your bounce rate, user experience, readability, and is the first impression of your business. Investing in a unique, custom designed website should be top of the list in making your business brand stand out from the rest.
8. Become omnipresent
This is the power of being everywhere. And what parents with hyper 3-year-olds need to be. But most creatives and small business owners will focus on the channels they’re familiar with like Facebook and Instagram. However, being omnipresent means you’re EVERYWHERE. Brands that are omnipresent are “top-of-mind” and have higher brand awareness. For example, how far away are you from a can of Coca Cola right now? Coke is the master of omnipresence. No matter where you go, you’re probably not far from somewhere that sells coke.
What about Apple?
Remember when it was simply a piece of fruit? My 3-year-old doesn’t. Because today, when people say Apple, they think iPhone, iPad, watches, iTunes, movies, and music. Apple is literally everywhere. So, how do you become omnipresent? Well, you can start by creating an account and completing your profile in the below websites.
And don’t forget to add a link to your website. It’s great for SEO
.• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Tik Tok
• Google My Business
• Reddit
• Vimeo
• Tumblr
• Medium
• Disqus
• Slideshare
• Yelp
• About.me
Trust building
This also helps build the trust flow of your domain which helps with your website’s rankings. If Google sees that you’re in more places than your competitor, it helps boost your authority and Google juice. Now, you don’t have to be active on all these platforms. Just a complete profile will be enough to give your business a little kicker. However, where possible, use a scheduler to post across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn so you have the main social media channels covered.
Now you have the internet sorted, it’s time to be omnipresent OFFLINE. This means car branding, uniforms, branded merchandise, and brochures in locals businesses. Look for any opportunity to get your brand out there in as many places as possible. I challenge you to get you brand out there in the universe! Go on. Get going! Umm, I mean now.
9. Get real on social media
Is your engagement on social media lacking? Do you feel like you’re the unpopular kid at the school party, sitting in the corner all alone while everyone else is having fun? Well, I hate to tell you this, but your social media probably sucks. It’s time to step-up your social media game. People are sick of seeing boring service posts, generic memes, sales, and promotional posts. They want to be entertained, educated, inspired, and heard. To do this, you need to develop a deep understanding of your audience, who they are and what they need. So, post less about you and MORE about them and what they want to hear from you.
Create real, raw, and authentic content they haven’t seen before and can only get from you.
Create content that is REMARKABLE. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking something is better than nothing. The “plug and play”, cookie cutter templates don’t work, everyone is posting them, and you’ll fade into the sea of sameness. And let’s face it. They’re BORING as bat poo! Facebook cleaned houseYears ago, we could post multiple times a day and hope something would stick. Motivational graphics used to get great engagement.
We could add “Tag, Like and Share” to our posts and go viral organically.
Or we could post about our special offers, products, recent work and get organic reach. But it just ain’t working anymore folks! To “clean up our feeds” and remain relevant, Facebook has shifted away from anything remotely salesy, posts baiting people to tag, like and share OR simply boring content.
So, what does that mean for us? Fortunately, Mr. Zuckerberg has told us exactly what to do. He wants us to encourage conversation and tell stories. After all, it IS a social media platform, right? So, create a remarkable social media feed. One that has original content, shows your brand personality, show your interests, and entertain your audience with content that’s an extension of your brand.
No more templates or done to death viral memes.
10. Get creative and personal
It’s never been easier to DIY your own graphics in Photoshop and Canva. And you don’t need to be fancy. Just keep it simple and keep to your business branding. Have a small set of graphics you can reuse for brand consistency and recognition. Then post lots of photos in between. Remember, it’s the little things that make people remarkable. Like, the time someone offered you an umbrella in the rain or helped you with the shopping while your screaming 3-year-old hung off your leg. The same applies to your business brand. It could be as simple as picking up the phone to chat when they expected an email. Or a handwritten thank you note after a job is complete. Maybe it’s an unexpected gift for a client who spent significant amounts of money with you.
The End Goal
Remember, the goal is to give your clients such an amazing experience they become your raving fans. Because those raving fans become your cheer-squad who will sing your business’s praise to friends and family. And that, my friends, is how you build a remarkable business brand. If you need any help implementing any of these tasks, be sure to book in a call with me here. Yours in remarkability,
Kylie
xx
