Todd Weiss C.F.A. – Franchise/Business Consultant & Life Coach

Differentiate Your Message – A Little Something Extra

I recently read a blog post written by Barry Moltz that was featured on Liz Strauss’ blog.  You can read it by clicking here.  I am a big fan of Liz and her passion in promoting good dialogue throughout the blogosphere.  In the spirit of continuing the discussion, I wanted to talk more about Barry’s points as they’re critical in helping businesses create brand value and customer loyalty.

In Barry’s article, he emphasizes that a company’s mission and brand go beyond the typical, “we provide a great product and great customer service”. In today’s economy, especially with the growing presence of social media, people are looking for more.  If you’re attempt to create value is simply offering “a great product or service” you’re lumping yourself with everyone else and message fails to resonate.  Everybody says they offer a great product or service. Frankly, that should be a GIVEN, and there’s no need to say it.  Barry’s article provides a great example of an effective mission statement.

Nick’s Pizza & Pub, a local restaurant in Chicago’s mission reads:

“Our dedicated family provides this community an unforgettable place; to connect with your family and friends, to have fun and to feel at home”.

This is a great example of how a company can differentiate itself and build loyalty.  Note there’s no mention of product or service.  Nick’s restaurant provides a warm atmosphere for people to connect, have fun and enjoy a great meal.  The message is clear, different and demonstrates value.  This is what today’s captive customer is seeking.  I’ve never been to Nick’s, but I’ll be sure to visit next time I’m in Chicago.

There are other creative ways a company can provide value in their message.  If there’s one thing social media has taught us, valuable content resonates.  Humor is a great form a value and an effective way to connect with customers.  Have you ever heard of Blendtec or the Blender Guy?  If not, click here to watch this video.  You’ll get a good laugh.  In this instance, this company uses humor to create brand visibility.  They went totally outside the box and created tremendous visibility for a product that is pretty ordinary.  While I am not in the market for a new blender, my next one will definitely be a Blendtec.

In today’s market it’s imperative that companies dig a little deeper when trying to create brand value.  The advent of social media has placed significance on providing people with content of value.  To remain competitive, today’s businesses need to provide a little something extra.  This is the essence of building a successful brand and enhancing customer loyalty.