A letter to your marketing department

If I compared your marketing with your competitors’, would it stand out? Please take a moment to consider this. If you hesitated briefly, you might be caught in 'marketing quicksand’. In this situation, the more you try to fit in with your competitors, the deeper you sink into obscurity.

But here’s the good news:

By the end of this text, you'll have the tools to break free and soar above the competition, leading your brand to unprecedented success.

Let’s identify the problem!

You might be stuck in 'marketing quicksand' if:

• Your tagline could fit any business in your industry.
• Your website closely resembles your competitors.
• You follow trends instead of setting them.
• Your unique selling proposition isn’t truly unique.
• You’re more focused on fitting in than standing out.

Every brand has something special: your origin story, approach, or unique quirk in its process. These are not just unique; they are the essence of your brand. Discover them and amplify them.

Remember, the ultimate goal isn't just to be different. It's to be meaningfully different, and that's what we're here to help you achieve.

Seven suggested actions

Action 1: Do the opposite

List five things that make your brand genuinely different. It’s not better, just different. Then, could you highlight the quirkiest one in your next campaign? Could you review what everyone in your industry is doing and then do the opposite?

If they’re all profound, be amusing. If they use jargon, opt for plain English. If they focus on long-form content, create something short and punchy.

Action 2: Dominate a specific niche

Identify the three most common marketing tactics in your industry. Brainstorm how you can do the exact opposite while still delivering value.

Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, dominate a specific niche.

Action 3: Define a narrow niche

Could you define a narrow niche within your broader market and create a marketing campaign that speaks exclusively to it? Why compete when you can make it?

Action 4: Create a new category

Consider combining two unrelated aspects of your business to create a new category. For example, "We're not just a _____; we're the world's first _____."

While everyone can list features, only some can tell a compelling story.

Action 5: Rewrite your offering

Reframe the description of your primary offering as a hero's journey. This is a storytelling technique in which your customer is the hero and your offering is the magical aid that helps them overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Your brand should feel like a person, not a corporate entity.

Action 6: Rewrite your 'About Us'

Could you rewrite your 'About us’ page as if your brand were a person at a party? What would you say? How would you act?

Action 7: Break patterns

You can use pattern interrupts in your marketing. Our brains are wired to ignore the familiar. Want attention? Break patterns, but ensure it’s done authentically, not just as clickbait.

Reminder

Remember, the ultimate goal isn’t just to be different. It’s to be meaningfully different, and that’s what we’re here to help you achieve.

To your marketing success, Anders

Please book a meeting to dive deeper and discuss how these approaches can transform your business.