Being different is more important than being better

Think about it for a moment. If your unique selling point (USP) is about outperforming or undercutting the competition, chances are you won’t be able to rely on that as a competitive advantage forever. Someone else can come along at any moment and do it better than you or cheaper than you. So, what’s the one thing they can’t compete with or do better at? Being you. Your perspective, your technique and your experience are the intangible qualities that make your business different. And when you’re different, you stand out.

Take Apple, their agenda was not about being better. Apple was about being different, and this informed their entire brand identity and marketing approach, changing the centre of gravity for the sector and the consumer.

Okay, so different is good, but how can you make this work for your business? It’s tempting to fall back on features when it comes to differentiating your offer, but the competition always catches up. So, let’s look beyond USPs. Instead of trying to be a better version of the competition, here at Fluro, we help you become the best version of yourself. Because you’re the only one who can do it the way you can. Your qualities and purpose have meaning and value far beyond mere features and benefits. But how do you communicate this? Through branding.

Branding is the key to true and lasting market differentiation. A strong, unique brand will give you a competitive advantage that - unlike features or benefits - can’t be copied or bettered. And unlike features and benefits, we believe that the story you tell about your brand has unlimited potential that will only become more potent over time.

Why branding is so tough for tech start ups?

Building a memorable brand can be difficult for any start up. After all, how will anyone ever find you if they don’t know you exist? But that’s where marketing experts can step in and lend a hand. The business of getting your business ‘out there’ is called Brand Awareness, and it’s a core principle in advertising. It involves first creating a memorable brand identity through design, tone of voice and customer experience and making sure your brand gets noticed and remembered through a combination of inbound and outbound marketing strategies.

But for start-ups in the technology sector, things can be a lot more challenging and here’s why.

It’s complex

Most tech start-ups are based on very complex ideas and systems aimed at solving very specific technical problems. This can make the job of describing these ideas and solutions in a succinct, memorable way very difficult. And when you can’t keep your message simple and clear, it makes effective, impactful communication even harder.

It’s intangible

For many tech start-ups there is often no physical product or service to offer, especially in the early stages of development where the ‘product’ is more like intellectual property. Defining immaterial goods and services makes brand identity challenging because there’s fewer opportunities to use packaging and signposting to communicate your look, feel and tone of voice.

It’s iterative

It’s tough to define a brand when the goal posts keep changing. The nature of a tech start-up business often means that the brand will undergo several transformations before it gets to market. This makes it hard to know when it’s the right time to commit to a brand identity. For many startups, creating a strong brand identity between rounds B and C can have more impact than waiting till after the final round. Even though the parameters might change again, being armed with a strong brand identity during the funding process can project confidence and present a more concrete vision.

Find the courage to be different

“Who Dares Wins” isn’t just a Channel 4 reality series or a John Wick tattoo and as a sentiment it goes much further back than the British SAS. The earliest record of “Fortune Favours the Brave” or something like it, has been attributed to Roman writers in the centuries before Christ and it remains potent to this day.

Why does this phrase still have so much power? Because it’s not easy to be brave. If it was, everyone would be. Only those who overcome their fear of failure, their fear of change and challenge will win the ultimate prize of success and good fortune.

Sounds intense, doesn’t it? But in reality, being brave doesn’t start with confidence. Being brave starts with determination and courage can be learned and developed. It’s not about leaping blindly into the unknown, it’s about being observant, learning how to evaluate risk and recognise opportunity when it comes knocking.

How to become courageous

1. A balanced perspective 

Fear can be useful. If we acknowledge our fears, we’re one step closer to overcoming them.

2. Identify your strengths

When you're confident in your abilities, you're much more willing to go all-in when an opportunity presents itself.

3. No risk, no reward

What’s the worst thing that could happen if you take a risk? Now compare that scenario to what will happen if you do nothing at all?

4. The Comfort Zone

Build your courage muscles by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone slowly and more often. Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Make peace with uncertainty.

5. Failure=winning

When you take a risk, you never really lose because you either succeed or you learn from your mistakes.

Being guided through the process by someone who’s done it before and has the skill to uncover and define what makes you special will make all the difference to your journey. Having a like-minded creative partner will help you build and market a brave brand. A brand so different and so strong that it will the only reason your customer chooses you.

Fluro Ltd.com https://fluroltd.com/fortune-favours-the-brave/ )

Branding | Activation | Campaigns | Communication