Does your brand stand out in the crowded marketplace? Does your brand message stand out from the myriad of messages that clutter consumers’ minds each day? In order to ensure your brand is noticed and remembered amidst the clutter, you have to be certain that it stands for something specific. In other words, it needs to offer a unique value proposition.
Truth be told, I dislike the buzz phrase “unique value proposition” because I think it’s overused. However, I’m using it here since it actually does apply. What makes your brand unique and what makes it distinctly different from other brands available to consumers? What makes your message more important than all the other messages customers hear?
Your brand’s unique value proposition is what gives your brand strength. Consider the brands below and think of what each brand stands for in your mind:
Each brand above has a unique position in the marketplace and stands for something very specific. In my mind, Hyundai represents the inexpensive car. Lexus is the elite, high-class brand, and Volvo is the safe choice. Each brand’s strength comes from “owning” its unique value proposition in the minds of consumers.
Many brands have success extending beyond the unique value proposition that originally gave them strength and power in the marketplace, but typically, those successes occur only when brand extensions enhance the original value proposition rather than running counter to it.
Where is your brand positioned? What is your brand’s unique value proposition? Make your brand distinct or you run the risk of standing for nothing and getting lost in the clutter.
Image: Flickr
Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
