One of the biggest stumbling blocks for businesses is failing to communicate to their prospective clients why they should buy from them. It’s one of the main reasons that companies don’t succeed. Having clear marketing messages that tell your clients why they should buy from you is vital to the success of your business. Brands like Apple, FedEx and Amazon are very clear about what they want to be known for and engaging with their target groups. So I’ll let you into a secret…the great thing is you can do the same. All entrepreneurs need to do is to observe what some of the giant brands do and how they go about engaging with their potential clients.
The biggest brands recognise that mass appeal is no longer a viable strategy today; everything is about having a niche. Laser focusing and targeting your efforts means your energy and hard dollar expenditure is concentrated on a group of people that will hopefully over time become loyal followers and customers. Apple is one of the most successful brands that do this well. Apple’s products are smart, sleek and they have the added benefit of having the cool factor; they are also one of the largest music retailers in the world. The word that springs to mind when thinking about their products is ‘Revolutionary’. Other firms make similar (if not better) products but look at the Apple devotees queuing round the block to buy the latest gadget and hi-fiving each-other on the way out. Why? Because they know what they’re getting from Apple; they’ve already bought in to the brand. Small businesses can apply the same strategy.
- Create some time and sit down with one or two of your trusted business friends and get clear on what your business is about.
- Get them to ask you the difficult and challenging questions you may not ask yourself.
Define your ‘sweet-spot’, it’s the most important element to convey to your clients and it’s what make your brand memorable. Like John Lewis it might be customer service? Could it be like Ikea and the flatpack revolution? Your sweet-spot might be something that only applies to you and your business but like those other brands it will be the thing that makes you stand out and makes sure that when your clients are looking for a service, they will call you rather than your competitor.
The fact that you’re small is no bad thing but if you want to be big, then you have to start thinking big. Big brands and big companies can teach entrepreneurs, solo operators and SMEs a lot. Yes, they might have more money and resources to play with. Yes, they might have offices all over the world but even Steve Jobs started out of his garage.
