Strive to differentiate beyond design

By Andrea Hill

My granddaughter is adventurous with her looks. She once chopped off her waist-length hair to sport a shaved head. She has her own style in clothing. She’s quirky. All of this is about being defined by herself and herself alone. But to her occasional frustration, once she does something—even something radical—it’s “safe,” and then other kids do it too. She doesn’t have the energy (or the allowance) to change her look every day, so she spends a certain amount of time being copied—and therefore, being the same as everyone else—until she comes up with a new inspiration.

I saw a few fun, even radical, design directions in Las Vegas at the JCK and Couture shows this year. Open-topped rings that spanned multiple fingers, and ornate, decorative rings that were still-life miniatures in metal topped the list. Of course, last year one or two designers were showing slave bracelets (the bracelet with a chain that runs across the top of the hand and connects to a ring), and this year they were everywhere. What’s radical today is almost always commonplace tomorrow.

A company cannot differentiate on design. Even the best design in the world does not give a company long-term success. Several other elements must be present. This has always been true, but in our rapidly evolving marketing and consumer landscape, the need for a strong combination of business elements is clearer than ever. What do you need to do to differentiate?

1. Run a smart, clean, effective business.

I’ve seen brilliant business ideas fail brilliantly and completely average business ideas make millions. The difference? The way the business is run. The days of DIY small business are over. The market is intensely competitive, and there’s no time to make things up as you go and learn from unnecessary mistakes. Get your financial management, operations, human resources, production, strategic and business planning, marketing, and sales organization into tiptop shape. That way, when you’re making mistakes it will be because you’re innovating (the good kind of mistakes), and not just because you’re bumbling along doing something someone else could have taught you.

2. Build a strong, positive company culture.

For many generations too many bosses were able to get away with being jerks. I suspect that in the past people thought that they had to put up with bad management because that was their only choice in building a secure financial future. Then came (a) the Millennial generation, and (b) the meltdown of 2007. Our next generation of workers knows that there is no implicit employment safety net. They have accepted that they will have to create whatever security they want for themselves. And that leaves us with an up-and-coming generation of workers that doesn’t put up with ridiculousness.

I happen to think that’s a good thing. Today, anyone can start a business, but not everyone can keep employees. Yet talented and engaged employees mean the difference between a standout business and a struggling business. If you want to harness the power and creativity of people, you must focus on being a healthy, respectful human and a positive leader.

3. Stand for something.

Consumers today shop and shop but they rarely buy. They engage constantly with brands online, but as truth-tellers, not worshippers. The only way to make a lasting impression on today’s buyer is to offer meaning. This is the most significant way in which brands have changed. Of course, iconic brands like Nike and Disney have offered meaning for a long time. The difference is that now, consumers expect all the brands with which they engage to have meaning. Today’s consumer also has a very good nose for sincerity, so be real, or be social media fodder. The way to figure out what you stand for is to ask and answer the following questions:

• Who are we (as a brand)?

• Why do we/should we matter?

• What makes us different?

4. Offer an authentic brand experience.

If you do the three things we’ve just covered: run a tight ship, create and foster a positive culture, and stand for something, then you will be beautifully positioned to be a strong brand. From that foundation you can develop the core beliefs, messages, and words that will consistently convey who you are, why you matter, and what makes you different. You will be able to compare every advertisement and promotion, every service, and every customer interaction to your core beliefs to ensure that everything you do resonates with and builds upon your brand.

5. Improve constantly, aggressively, and without comparing yourself to others.

Consumers aren’t comparing your business to other businesses—they are comparing you to their expectations. Whatever you are doing now, you can improve it, and your goal should be to look for those opportunities for improvement that make your brand more sticky, more interesting, and more compelling to your target customers.

As the world gets smaller and technology gets less expensive and more intuitive, the demands on business owners will continue to increase. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to ensure your business success.