Everything is in over-supply. While generally good for consumers, it is bad for marketing. This is because it creates panic-based marketing decisions; where conversations and value are traded for noise and discounts. This is why “differentiation” is rarely a product feature or price - and certainely not found in marketing.
Start with the assumption that your industry is in over-supply. This will help you make smarter decisions related to bradning, marketing, and business development. Even if you are not in a category that is in over-supply, it will still make your more focused and disciplined.
So how do you differentiate? There are a lot of different ideas and theories on this; with an over-supply of gimmickery and insincere promotion. But here are a few concepts:
- Be unexpected. Most consumers go into an experience with some level of been-there-done-that. Breaking their paradigm of expectation is a great way to create conversations; truly stand-out.
- Be simple. Like a red dot on a white sheet, simplicity in your marketing creates a less-is-more feeling. Remember Ron Paul’s hand-made signs?
- Be person-to-person. Too much marketing/biz dev is done behind a logo, ad, web, and/or press release. WIth a little bit of effort you can be more personal in your marketing - i.e. using real employees or real customers. Better yet, correctly embrace social media. This starts with your CEO blogging, Facebooking, and Tweeting.
There is another reality that you might have to face - irrelevance. Maybe your business model is out of alignment with market conditions. Maybe your product/service is obsolete. Know this - advertising doesn’t fix irrelevance. Instead, re-tool and start over with something new and different. This really is just a matter of integrity - or too quote a recent post, not sucking.
