You’re struggling to make your brand stand out. How can you improve your brand strategy?

Listen to your customers! What led them to be your customer? What are their motivations and frustrations? How do they describe your product/service to others? The answers to these questions should start to give you a sense of how to position your brand and speak in a language that your customers want to hear.

Use surveys, social media insights, and customer feedback. Beyond demographics, delve into psychographics. People often overlook the emotional connection – it's not just about what they need but how they feel. Identify all the nuances to create a brand that speaks directly to their hearts, not just their minds.

To elevate your brand, clarify your unique value proposition to differentiate from competitors. Deeply understand your target audience to tailor messaging and offerings. Utilize storytelling to connect emotionally, sharing your mission and values. Engage with your audience through social media and content marketing, maintaining consistent brand identity. Innovate customer experiences to foster loyalty. Continuously assess market position and audience feedback to refine your strategy. Focusing on what makes your brand unique and consistently delivering value will make your brand stand out.

Everything starts here. Segment your market and find a target audience - what do they like, why do they like it, are there any hygiene elements that you must have, for example - having clean cruelty free products in today's world is a hygiene not differentiation. Your audience must resonate with your brand and story for you to stand out amongst competition and for them to give you attention.

Let's take an example, you're launching a new skincare brand. Of course your purpose is to offer the best product that yields the best result for your consumers. You must stand out by sharing WHY and HOW.

When an industry is lacking in differentiation, commoditization is certain to occur. Then the race to the bottom ensues as everyone begins looking for ways to strip out costs to maintain market share. After cutting all the fat, they start to cut into bone: brand quality and customer experience suffer, and it's usually a miserable experience for the individuals who represent or work for the brand. Brands that thrive are those that step out and away from the pack with an unmistakable and differentiated position, delivered with confidence and impact. When everyone in your competitive set looks like an "apple," be the "orange." Be bold. Be original. Be great.

Define what makes you special: it could be exceptional quality, a unique story, or innovative features. Many miss this by imitating competitors. It's not just about being different for the sake of it; it's about authentically showcasing what truly sets you apart.

As a brand strategist, ask the brand owner - Product benefits and the target audience. You do not have to offer a unique product to have a USP, you must have a unique approach. Think about what is USP of Hermès Handbags?

You copied every move of your competitors and now have a uniqueness issue with your brand. ??♂? You must do this: 1) Me-too NPD alone isn't enough in today's saturated market. Differentiation demands more. 2) Consumer Relevance is Crucial: Align innovation with relevant consumer needs. It's not just about the product but how it enhances lives and experiences. 3) Prioritize the overall experience rather than adding extra benefits. Stand out by how your product interacts with consumers. 4) Ensure your innovation aligns with and feeds your brand identity. Consistency here is vital to building trust and loyalty. 5) Use in-depth consumer insights to drive your innovation.