Is your brand “remarkable” ? A huge question that in today’s marketplace really asks “Are you engagingly marketable?”
Communication is now overflowing with irrelevant clutter; providing instant transparency; and social media allows everyone to comment with just a click. For this environment – let’s redefine the word “remarkable”.
“re·mark·a·ble:(adj) worthy of remarking on.”
If something is remarkable – talking about it, actually makes you more interesting .
Let that sink in. What is the potential demand for being perceived as more interesting? What does that mean on Facebook…Twitter…the blogosphere?
Companies in the building industry and beyond, still insist on providing generic commoditized experiences – both online and offline. They offer the expected and at times provide a myriad of conflicting inputs that confuse and dilute any interesting point of view they may be hoping to make.
However, what I’ve found with clients is that when you scratch beneath the surface, they actually are engaging, interesting and remarkable. The problem is that they never invested the time before to define who they were as a company and why anyone should care. They had no clear picture of the brand they were creating everyday. They had no brand promise focusing their organization’s culture and efforts to be “remarkable”.
So rather than paint a real picture that is something relevant and engagingly authentically them everyday – clients “marketed” what they thought a customer would want to hear.
So what’s wrong with that? …a lot actually.
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Their competitors tend to do the same thing resulting in presenting a “Me Too” offering that is dull (ie the opposite of remarkable). In this scenario, you end up competing on price; the nuance of location; or perhaps your offering is that rare and fleeting “only game in that town” (common now in new housing).
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They will eventually ring false. Everyone in the company is providing the experience of that company. If the story one department is telling people, doesn’t match what the other departments actually do – the company comes off as lying and untrustworthy. (Unfortunately, that dynamic is “remarkable” .)
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They lose out on what should be a truly powerful journey in building valuable brand equity. It feels awesome to work with – and buy from – companies that have a brand promise worth being a part of and worth remarking on.
How to Become “Remarkable”
Step #1 – Understand: who you are as a company; why people should care; and then take a stand on your company’s brand promise.
Steps #2+ – Walk Your Talk: Today “talking” without legitimate action is a recipe for disaster. It will demoralize employees, frustrate customers, annoy trade partners and diminish your reputation. However, if you are serious about reaching a new level of success in today’s market, “Walking Your Talk” throughout the company will provide an abundance of opportunities and the understanding of how to be truly remarkable each day.
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Note to those in Community Development: This process is incredibly valuable for assets that will be in the market over 3 years. It shapes character, amenities, positioning, communication, alliances and other programming.