#6 - The Key to a Memorable Brand

Over my years of working with clients, I have encountered many people searching for answers in the wrong places (and I'm not an exception to that either 🫣).

We all have blind spots in different areas, and unfortunately, our angle of view is limited. Luckily, all we need to do to shift it is to have someone kindly show us a different perspective.

That's why today, I chose one question that I hear a lot of people sweating about. In truth, I believe they shouldn't even bother with that and should ask themselves another question instead.

“How to be different?”

How does this question help you?
🛑 This question does not help you. It does you more harm than good.

1. It makes you focus on competitors rather than on your own business.

2. It makes you anxious, as if there is a secret out there that needs to be found.

3. It makes you feel what you have in your business is not enough.

I want to reframe this question in a way that actually helps us.

Let’s discover why, and what is a better way to look at it:

“How to be different?”

Here’s a reason why making your brand different doesn’t help:

• No one likes different. I’m serious!

  How would you feel about eating a blue banana? Or a fluorescent pink meat? I certainly wouldn’t trust it.

It's often said that people (and consumers) crave novelty and variety, and they want new and different things all the time. Well, that's only partially true.

People crave variety within the boundaries of their familiarity, seeking something different but aligned with their expectations of how something should feel.

Every time a brand tries to be different, they risk going too far and not sticking, or they end up feeling the same as other brands out there (after all, they are being guided by the same question).

With that said, what you're really trying to do is not to be different but to be original.

Reframing the question as "How can we be obvious?"

To "be different" or "stand out," what you really need to ask yourself about your brand is "how can we be obvious?"

• Obvious to that specific type of consumer?

• Obvious about what our special benefit is?

You might be doubting me now, but let's think together.

Most brands out there are NOT clear about who they are, what their ultimate focus and benefit are, and who the type of client is that will benefit the most from their products/services.

The moment you make your brand clear, it will be remembered quickly. Your brand will stand out. Not because it sells blue bananas, but because people will know your brand is the RIGHT CHOICE for them.

So the real question we're trying to answer is:

"How can you make your brand obvious?"

• For the type of consumer you want to attract and/or

• About the ultimate benefit they can expect from choosing your brand.

Note about benefits:

• This is not only about functional benefits, like "faster service."

• It can also be emotional benefits, like feeling you belong.

• Or benefits of identity, such as "what I reinforce about myself when I choose this brand." (Usually, a brand will touch on all three points, but it's important to know the one that should be really obvious about it.)

Let's look at some examples:

Example 1: “too different” = Failed

• Cheetos Lip Balm - I don't know about you, but I expect lip balms to taste like mint, strawberry, or nothing at all. Definitely not like Cheetos. (Let’s agree that the only person who can stand its smell is the one who eats it.)

Example 2: “Too obvious” = successful

• Desigual - I LOVE this example because it showcases exactly what I’m saying. Thomas Meyer is the owner and original designer of Desigual. His ambition was to create something different which reflected the individuality and uniqueness of each person. To achieve that, he made his brand OBVIOUS for people looking to wear bright colors and playful patterns! They have been very consistent over the years with that.

Now, it’s your turn…

Action step

👉 Set aside 20 min to work on your version of this prompt to get the clarity you need to set your business for authentic growth.

How can your brand be obvious? (so it can be different)

Changing how you see your business changes everything.

Warmly,

Nathalia Montenegro

P.S : Ready to find out exactly what you need to do next to grow your business?

Here's how I can help:

• If you haven't yet - connect with me on Linkedin to get daily insights on aligning your brand and business for authentic growth.

• Want guidance to reposition, realign or consolidate your brand & business? Book a complementary clarity call with me here.

PS2: Are you new here? Read the previous issues of this newsletter here.