Do you think your brand stands out in a crowd? No matter what product or service you sell, a distinctive brand is what sets you apart from the competition.
There are around 5.5 million small businesses in the UK, so there will always be another company that sells the same products or offers the same service as you.
When you’re all competing for consumers’ attention, it’s important that your brand is the one that stands out.
You might be thinking, “We’re just a small business. Does it really matter?” It does, and we’ll explain why in a bit.
A little pizza the brand action
So, you want to stand out in a crowd
Take a second to think about the brands that you love.
What is it about them that resonates with you?
Why do you feel a connection with those brands? What is it about the brand that makes you trust them?
No business becomes a household name overnight. It takes time, consistency, and authenticity to create a recognisable brand that’s distinctive. And that’s where your content marketing is critical.
Your brand tells customers who you are, what you’re about, and what people can expect when they purchase your product or service. The content your brand creates is how you deliver that message and vision.
Now, before you can start creating content, you have to know your brand inside and out. So, take some time to work through the following exercise…
- Describe your product or service.
- Now, consider the way you deliver this product or service. What is unique about the way you do things?
- What is it about your brand offering that keeps customers coming back?
- What is it about your business, product, or service that’s different from everyone else’s?
- Are there non-negotiables when it comes to the product or service you provide, i.e. the things you would never change?
Get your own slice of the action with just five ingredients
At the end of this exercise, you should have a better idea of what is distinctive or special about your business.
Let’s formalise it: take a moment and list just five key things that make your product or service stand out. Essentially, you are distilling your brand offering.
For example, Franco Manca’s brand offering is relatively straightforward:
- Authentic Neapolitan pizza baked in a woodfired oven
- Fresh, seasonal ingredients that are locally sourced
- Slow-rising sourdough, fermented for 24 hours, freshly made on-site
- A simple menu of classic Italian flavours
- Great value for money, always
Since 2008, Franco Manca has not deviated from these foundations and it’s what makes their pizza and their brand distinctive. All of their content and brand messaging focuses on these five things.
Over time, they’ve consistently delivered this message and stayed true to these roots. And it’s this authenticity that builds loyalty and trust amongst customers. It’s how they’ve differentiated themselves and succeeded in a crowded market. And it’s how you can do the same for your business too.
Be bold, not bland
So, what do you need to focus on to differentiate your brand from the competition?
Authenticity.
What underpins great content is knowing what sets you apart from your competitors and consistently delivering on your brand offering. Don’t try to be the competition. If someone tried to copy The Beatles, you’d just end up with a bland version of The Beatles.
The content you create should boldly (and authentically) reflect who you are as a business. You need to know what makes your brand tick and embrace that.
Remember, it takes time to build a brand that’s recognisable, but when you know what your brand’s about, every piece of content you create can consistently reinforce that message in the eyes of your customers. You never want to be ‘just another xxx’.
Fortune favours the bold (and no one remembers the bland – even more so when pizza is involved!).
Knead some help rising above your competitors?
That was the final pizza pun, we promise!
Need a helping hand to tease out the five things that make your business distinctive, and want to create content that helps your business stand out in a crowd? Then, if you haven’t already, take our marketing challenge quiz.
Alternatively, sign up for our 1-2-1 guided coaching sessions and work with us on building a bold brand that’s always top of mind.
