Are You a Leader or a Follower?

You’re at a business expo and you’re handed a brochure or promotional product that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. You love it and you want your own, just like it! You rush the sample to your marketing company and say, “Look at this totally unique way to advertise and market my business. I want the exact same thing!”

If you want your business to stand out, if you admire this marketing piece because it is unique, let’s take a look at how to go about that without being a follower.

How would it feel to have others in the industry wishing their ads were like yours? If someone admired your unique marketing so much they wanted to imitate it?

Let’s explore the two ends of this spectrum: being a leader or being a follower.

Is Following Bad?

When it comes to marketing, following the crowd is a recipe for mediocrity. Sure, you might get SOME results, but you won’t see strong growth. Even worse, you are likely to stagnate. The more you do the same marketing over and over again, the less effective it is – your results could even decline. It’s always smart to re-evaluate and adjust your marketing.

 

By doing what everyone else is doing, you’re always a step behind.

 

True leaders innovate, finding unique ways to stand out and push the boundaries of what’s expected. This is what leads to maximum growth and success.

Why Leading is Best

It can be inspiring to see other companies innovating and putting themselves out there. But don’t stop there. You need to take the active steps to make sure your company is starting new trends.

If your company is simply imitating the latest trend, you are undermining your own efforts to gain attention in a crowded marketplace.

To lead with effective marketing, your marketing should be centered around what makes you different and how you stand out.

 

The biggest question your marketing answers is “Why should people choose you?”

 

If you’re doing the same stuff as everyone else, your clients will eventually wonder why they should go with your services over your competitors’. For example, if you are competing with 3 other companies for work on a project and everyone’s marketing materials look the same, it is a toss-up to see who gets the work. If, on the other hand, your materials stand out, you have much better odds of winning that business.   

What is a “Cookie Cutter Solution” and Why to Avoid It

If two companies have the same marketing plan, then their marketing plan is obviously not tailored to their specific needs. This would be a “cookie cutter solution” and unfortunately, this approach to marketing does not work effectively.

No two companies are the same, even if they sell the exact same product. It’s important to understand who that unique company is and how they differentiate themselves from others in the industry.

•     What is your company’s story?
•     What is your mission?
•     Who is the target audience(s)?
•     What are the best marketing methods to reach the specific target audience(s)?
•     How do we create a specific game plan for your company and your customers?

 

There is no one-size-fits-all marketing plan.

 

Just Because You’re in the Same Industry, Doesn’t Mean You Need the Same Marketing

Let’s take as an example a 27-year-old chiropractor who has been practicing for 4 years. Their ideal clients are young athletes. They need to generate new business and are often out and about, networking and meeting new people. Their marketing plan should support their need to network multiple days a week, with printed materials to hand out, as well as an active email and social media campaign to easily reach their younger clientele. As you can see, these marketing methods are tailored to a target market and they align with their active work practices in and out of the office.

Now let’s compare that to a 55-year-old chiropractor who has run their company for 30 years, whose clients are mainly seniors and victims of accidents and falls. They don’t have much time to leave the office for networking because they have a fuller book of clients and a busy schedule, but they still need to bring in new clients. Their target market is made up of older individuals who are not active on social media and may not use email regularly.

If they tried to imitate the marketing plan that is working so well for the younger chiropractor, they might be frustrated and wonder why it doesn’t work for them. 

 

Marketing must be tailored to the unique needs of that specific business and its clients.

 

Envision By Design Develops Leaders!

At Envision By Design, we challenge businesses to think differently and take bold steps, helping them become trailblazers in their industries. Are you ready to lead and stand out?

We don’t do cookie cutter solutions. We tell the story behind your company and identify what makes you different so we can help you stand out and get noticed in the wild world of marketing. Time to let others chase YOU for a change!

No more will you say, “Look what my competitors are doing. It looks so good. Can we do something like this?” We will pave the way for your own unique marketing that will stand out.

Not sure how? Don’t worry. It’s our job to help you figure it out. Once we have a foundation, the fun can begin. What are you waiting for?

Sign up for a free consultation! Call Envision By Design at (314) 370-6131 or click here to get started.