Reilly Newman | Sometimes, businesses can over romanticize their own doings. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good story and I love when there is true passion behind a business. However, when a romance becomes delusional, no one in the relationship is having a good time.
This becomes apparent when you ask a business why they are different from their competitors. You’ll hear reactive answers like “we care about our customer” or “because we are authentic” or “we have been around since 1998” or “we are just better” — as you can tell, none of these reasons hold much water and any water it does hold isn’t drinkable for a true customer.
Yes, starting a business is very difficult. Staying in business is even more challenging. Yet, it feels these achievements sometimes slip into being the “why we’re special” — when who cares really? Frankly, starting and running a business doesn’t make you special. Business by definition isn’t special. Business is business. “It’s not personal, it’s business.” So where does the special come from? Where’s the magic? What makes a business special?
Business is given magic when it’s wrapped in brand. Brand is the secret sauce that gives it that extra oomph. Brand is that special “mojo”. At its core, brand invokes an emotional connection that draws in the audience and empowers them to enjoy the business that much more. Brand brings innovation and brilliance to the business model, the product, the service, and the delivery. It takes the business from a commerce transaction to an engaging experience.
There’s the magic. You can have a special brand. You can’t have a special business.
Next time you’re shopping or enjoying your experience with a business, ask yourself if it’s the transaction you’re enjoying or is it the auxiliary elements of the business (AKA brand)? You’re out for a nice meal, sure the food is cooked well and tastes great, but isn’t that expected? It’s the interior space, the dining linens, the silverware. The plating of the entree, the wait staff, the typography on the menu. It’s the lighting, the logo, the vibe, the “je ne sais quoi” that takes it from just a paid meal to a dining experience. This makes the price worth it. It makes the wait worth it. This makes it special.
Challenge yourself to not view your business as special. The business is the backbone that performs the function. It provides a functional purpose that delivers a product or service. Brand goes beyond. The brand brings the magic and the experience. The brand is what is special.
