Your Small Business Should Break Out Of Generic Jail—Here's How!
Some businesses can look very much alike, in content, brand voice, style, and tone. This is understandable to a degree, after all, it’s not as if a law firm that deals with medical malpractice is going to use super bright colors and wear polka-dot pattern bow-ties in the office just to look a little different from the competition.
One way to make your brand stand out is with humorous messaging. Image Source: Shamblen Studios
But a specified and considered design can often help differentiate even very formal brands. If you’ve found that your own business seems to look alike to the five closest competitors you have, it may be worth breaking out of generic jail and turning your eye to design once more.
Yet in a world of templated website designs, social media platform uni-formatting, and content writers who try to sound relatable at every turn, where do you even begin? In this post, we’ll discuss a few tips for developing your own visual identity which can then begin bleeding into other operable habits.
With that in mind, let’s begin:
Use Reliable & High-Quality Services
From the graphic designer you select to the merchandise outfit offering the best t-shirts for screen printing, often your output can only be as good as the vendors you use. This is why it’s important to choose services with a strong visual style and high-quality production process, who will iterate designs with you to make good on your original vision. Don’t just leave it to AI—use content writers, illustrators and web designers to help curate a cohesive vision that packs a punch. When it comes to marketing your business on social media, opt for customizable stock imagery that you can personalize to fit your brand.
Personalize Customer Interactions
Your business doesn’t have to look exactly the same to everyone. That’s why sometimes supermarkets will target many different forms of clientele, from the Moms shopping for the festive period through festive advertising, to the active families getting ready for school again, all the way to those looking for health foods to support a fitness lifestyle. Personalize those customer interactions through targeted ads, custom landing pages for each area, and an understanding of who you’re reaching in the first place.
Use imagery that you can customize so you can market to multiple audiences. By simply changing some text (like in this photo above), you can use the same image in various ways! Image Source: Shamblen Studios
Be Proud Of Your Roots
A brand persona doesn’t have to be that different from an actual personality when you think about it. An appreciation for their local community, a pride in where they come from, an interest in working hard to help people, a vision for the future. All of these things we consider favorable in the characteristics of someone we know, and businesses can leverage that, too. We often see this in iconic brands of a distinct location, like certain food brands that come from a singular place and have their headquarters located there.
Could you tap into this authenticity, also? It might help define your business apart from anyone else. Even if it’s investing in your premises and local community, sponsoring advertisements with other businesses, or being involved in your local area during the active markets and sporting events, being proud of your roots can help you remain a sincere and worthwhile force.
With this advice, you’re sure to break free of generic jail and become more of an authoritative voice in your area.
