In your least favorite local supermarket, If you were lucky enough to get an answer to this question at all, it would probably be:
"because it sells"
or...
"my boss makes the stock purchasing decisions"
Certainly not, and how do we know this? Because we all have a good idea of what Apple is trying to do. Perhaps we'd find employees' answers so comprehensive that we have to run for the door, but this shouldn't take away from the strength of the company’s identity. Apple understands perfectly the story of who they are and what they are about.
This is one of the two things that successful businesses have in common, the other thing is that they tell a unique story that distinguishes them from everyone else.
Cultivating values and developing a brand is a process that takes time and deep reflection. Fortunately, we can look to others for inspiration. We can learn an awful lot from the success stories of our time. Here are five important ideas and pieces of advice, from people who have already done it, to help you create your own unique story.
"It’s important to build a personal brand because it’s the only thing you’re going to have. Your reputation online, and in the new business world is pretty much the game"
Gary Vaynerchuk - VaynerMedia
Competitors are not the only other businesses worth thinking about. We have a lot to learn from those with similar struggles and interests to us. They can help us to solve mutual problems and to discover and celebrate differences.
“Members of a passionate community tend to drive each other to explore the real extent of their talents"
Sir Ken Robinson - Lecturer on creativity & innovation
A thread that joins together many of the most successful businesses is that they were built by people who genuinely love and believe in the products that they make. We need to think about what we love about the way we do business and articulate this to our customers. This is the very thing that justifies our customers choosing our product over our competitors.
"The brand is a story. But it’s a story about you, not about the brand"
Seth Godin - Marketing Expert
How can we expect our customers to distinguish our product from our competitors if we cannot do so ourselves? All successful businesses know what makes them unique. When we have understood this, digital marketing can help us tell the world about what makes our business special.
By creating a conscious understanding of why we believe in our products we build ourselves a roadmap. We all know that running a business can be very testing at times. Knowing why we believe in our products also gives us a sense of direction and purpose during these hard moments.
"You have to have a lot of passion for what you're doing, and it's totally true. The reason is that it's so hard that if you don't any rational person would give up"
Steve Jobs - Apple
"Do something you're very passionate about, don't try and chase the hot passion of the day"
Jeff Bezos - Amazon
It's not just about loving our business it's also about having the courage and confidence to put our ideas to the test. Great business ideas are created through a process of trial and error. When coming up with new ideas we need to have the confidence to take them to the people we trust for feedback, whether that be friends, colleagues or employees.
It is also vitally important to seek feedback from customers. The internet has made this more important than ever. As negative word spreads much faster these days.Fortunately for smaller businesses, there are now software applications to help with this. The listingCoach feature of rankingCoach 360 makes it possible for SMBs to track and respond to online reviews
"Don't underestimate anyone you come across. The smartest leaders I've ever seen have always gone around the room and asked for everybody's opinion"
Paul Graham - Y Combinator
"Constantly seek criticism. A well thought out critique of what you are doing is as valuable as gold"
Elon Musk - Tesla, SpaceX
By getting plenty of feedback we ensure that our ideas are as good as they can be. Going out of our comfort zone to get this valuable feedback doesn't mean that we must respond to every criticism we receive. After taking the time to hear what people have to say, we should have the confidence to make a conscious decision to implement useful feedback and to ignore negative comments that do not help.
"Often they will tell you it can't be done and it's just because
they don't have the courage to try"
Pierre Omidyar - eBay
"If you're not having doubt, you're not pushing the boundaries far enough"
Tony Fadell - Nest
In this digital age, SMBs find themselves in a unique position in history. The internet has created an unprecedented opportunity for expanding market share and creating lasting connections with customers, but this technology is accessible to everyone. Telling your business’ personal story through digital marketing channels is a great way to make it stand out. JAN 'N JUNE is a great example of a business that does this well, telling a unique story through social media that emphasizes the brand's core values of sustainable fashion.
"When we see a kid with a lemonade stand, it's different than when we see a vending machine selling lemonade, even if it's exactly the same product because the story around it is what people are paying for"
Seth Godin - Marketing Expert
There is no better way to tell your business's story to the world than through effective digital marketing. rankingCoach is a DIY marketing application that empowers SMBs to optimize their website for digital marketing.
Learn about the rankingCoach Digital Marketing App.