One of the topics we talk about on the 60 Second Marketer with some regularity is how to differentiate your brand. I’m a big believer that you have two choices on this front — you can play it safe and have slow, predictable returns; or you can take a few chances and get a little more bang for your buck.
Part of the reason this has been on my mind lately is that in 2016 we’re launching a new entity called the Mobile X Festival. It’s an un-conference for businesses that want to use mobile to grow their sales and revenues.
You’ll be hearing a lot more about Mobile X in the future, but our challenge is that we’re a start-up entity. That means we don’t have deep pockets to pay for traditional advertising and branding. As a result, we’re going to have to do a few things that will help us stand out in a crowded marketplace.
You’ll get an insider view of how we go about launching Mobile X in the coming weeks, but for now, it’s safe to say that we’re going to make sure it’s different from just about any other conference you’ve ever been to.
In thinking about all this, I came up with 3 rules for brands that want to stand out on a limited budget. By following these rules, you’ll be able to get attention for your brand in a very crowded marketplace.
Rule #1: Get Comfortable Being Different
What do you notice in the image below?
Of course, you notice the blue umbrella because it stands out. I’ve found that most people aren’t comfortable standing out, but I’m just the opposite — if I blend in with the rest of the crowd, I feel as though I’m not being genuine, true to myself, and unique.
I grew up in a family that rewarded eccentricity (anyone who knows my mother will say that’s the understatement of the century). That puts me at a slight advantage because I have all these conscious and sub-conscious messages telling me that it’s okay to be different.
If you’re going to get your brand to stand out, you’re going to have to get used to being different. I wrote about this a while back when I mentioned that Geek Squad succeeded in a crowded marketplace in part because they were comfortable being different.
So, if you want your brand to be the next Geek Squad, get comfortable being different.
Action Step for Your Brand: The key to being different is to make sure you’re being different in a way that supports your brand. The entire gestalt of Geek Squad supported their image that they were so smart and geeky that they were oblivious to the outrageousness of their outfits and cars. Worked like a charm.
Rule #2: Ignore People Who Say “You Can’t Do That”
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’re probably used to taking risks. After all, starting a business is like walking on a tightrope — you have to get used to the view in order to make it to the other side.
When I started my first business many, many years ago, the three most important people in my business life told me I was crazy for going out on my own.
The first person was my father, who said I was too young. The second was my boss, who said I still needed a few years under my belt. And the third was my older brother who said — and I quote — “James, when you fail … and you will … I’m telling you right now that I won’t hesitate to tell you I told you so.”
Of course, that was all I needed to ensure I wouldn’t fail. After all, when you have 3 important people telling you not to do something and you go ahead with it, you can be damn sure you’re going to do everything you can not to fail.
Action Step for Your Brand: When someone tells you that you can’t do something, listen carefully (because they might have a point), but if your gut still says you can/should do something, then fire away.
Rule #3: Kick Things Off with Something Outrageous
There’s a wonderful personality in Atlanta called Baton Bob. He’s a cross-dressing cheerleader who marches up and down Peachtree street in Atlanta to the hoots, hollers (and sometimes criticism) of the people walking and driving by.
Check out the short video below to get a sense of what Baton Bob is all about.
I love Baton Bob, but can you imagine some of the intolerance he gets from small-minded people? That makes me respect him even more — he’s a unique individual who is willing to take some chances in order to be true to himself.
Action Step for Your Brand: Remember that any time you’re going to take a risk with your brand, you’re going to be met with criticism. As long as you have more winning risks than losing risks, you’ll be fine. In other words, if you take risks and, say, 75% of the time they pay off, then you’re golden. If you find your risks paying off 60% of the time or less, you might want to scale back, but anything over 75% is wonderful.
That’s all I have to talk about today. I hope you found it helpful. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we launch the Mobile X Festival. As mentioned, we’re trying to be the opposite of the boring conferences that litter the business landscape, so we’ll be taking a few risks along with you.
About the Author: Jamie Turner is the CEO of the 60 Second Marketer and 60 Second Communications, a marketing optimization firm that helps businesses improve the impact of their marketing by 10% or more. He is the co-author of “How to Make Money with Social Media” and “Go Mobile” and is a popular marketing speaker at events, trade shows and corporations around the globe.
