How can you Stand out from your peers and competition?

Here is a quick story about branding Burgers, people, companies or whatever for that matter.

Source: businessinsider.com

I had a very interesting discussion today with someone who is very senior, has years of experience in the corporate world, has been heading positions of great responsibility in top enterprises around the world, has a great acads and so on.

While not revealing his identity, I thought of trying to put forth a summary of what he shared in terms of how we can create value, how we can differentiate ourselves from similar others.. and how can be stick around as a brand, even if we are individuals.

Oh yes, of course individuals, like companies, can also have a brand of their own.. That is personal branding.
But then in this post, we are not talking about only individuals, or only businesses. What we will be talking about is what makes a brand?

Source: upload.wikimedia.org

Imagine walking into a busy food-street where there are dozens, if not hundreds, of diners which serve burgers. And assume that they serve only burgers and nothing else.. The place is crowded and there is a good amount of crowd in some of these diners and few are slightly less crowded. Every diner, of course, has its own different name, has his own USP (Unique Selling Proposition), has his own pricing, has his own seating arrangement, inside or outside and is trying to entice customers/shoppers as they walk by.

Think for a moment - where would you stop?

You might consider stopping at the first one, if you find the place is super-crowded and there is no point getting into the crowd. You might consider the second one, if you see that one has less crowd or relatively more crowd - if you are looking at convenience or you are following a herd mentality that more crowd means more tasty burgers. You might even consider the third one because their name or the name of their burger is unique. You might consider the fourth for its seating arrangement, the ambiance. You might even look at price, any other offers and so on. But then one thing is common in them - What? Uncertainty.

Why Uncertainty is what you ask?

Because, first of all you are new at the place and you don't really know how the burger in that diner is going to taste. So when everything else is the same - the crowd, the price, the offer, the place/ambiance, you would start to look for a known name! If you say see McD, or KFC, or something else. You are searching for a brand.. If you get that diner, your mind immediately ignores all the other options and just gets hooked on to that. You know why?

Source: kryptomoney.com

It is because of certainty.

Any diner selling burgers can have a name but does not mean that will be a brand.

Here is the learning I got today.

Names become brands only when they keep doing the same things over and over again, with the same precision, CONSISTENTLY. It is consistency which separates brands from names. You know what I mean when you realize anywhere you go, the McD burgers would taste the same, it will be as soft, as crispy, as hot as you have always experienced at other McD stores. [Here McD is just an example! It can be anything.. any name which provides a consistent user experience]

How then can you stand out from your peers and competition?

You can achieve this in two ways - First, you have to find out your mojo, your passion, your interest, your working style, your way of dealing with people, speaking, or delivering a session, your way of boxing, playing or whatsoever.. Second, you have to be insanely consistent, deliver that same experience over and over again. If you are a company who is developing software, be consistent with your messaging - If the messaging is to stay lean and agile, do it. If it is to lower costs, be with it.

Whatever be it, be consistent in doing that.

Names have become brands just by staying consistent. You can not have high energy levels in the morning and low in the evening if your job is to greet people at the reception of a hotel or you are a TV or Radio anchor.

Does it all make sense?

Let me know if you liked it by your upvotes and resteems.

Cheers
Subhendu