The Fear of Differentiation

Guest post by: Mark Smiciklas
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Managing Small Business Growth by Balancing Big + Small - By Mark Smiciklas

Building a unique small business brand requires some courage. Why are unique brands so scarce while middle of the road products, services, retail stores, etc dominate the business landscape? My theory is that it has something to do with an innate fear (we all have) of being different. In a branding context, this poses a problem because differentiation is one of the key elements in the development of a great brand. So how do small business owners face the fear of differentiation?

The Opportunity Cost of Being the Same.

One way to challenge the fear of being different is to try to understand the consequences of "being the same". One differentiating decision a small business has the opportunity to make involves product/service mix - the common fear being specialization (and missing out on potential sales).

Example: If your market has a number of other "one stop shops" the decision to offer a little bit of everything to a mass market may be riskier than specializing and offering a limited product mix to a market of enthusiasts. As a small business owner or manager, you should challenge the fear of differentiating your product mix by assessing the risk of blending into the landscape and becoming "invisible" to your target market.

Subtle Differentiation.

Small business owners might believe that differentiation needs to be extreme in order to be effective - fearing brand alienation as a result of trying to act/behave way outside the norm. Understanding that subtle differentiation can be a successful way to separate your brand will help your small business face this fear.

Let's look at my small business, Intersection Consulting, as an example. My brand differentiation strategy is far from extreme and includes:

* focusing on small business.
* specializing in marketing.
* offering a casual, no-nonsense approach.

The last point of differentiation is the most important to my brand because it generates word of mouth and referrals - yet it is the most subtle because it is only visible by clients after they meet with me and engage my services. Ultimately, your brand still needs to be a natural extension of you, your personality, core values and skill set - trying to differentiate your small business brand to the point of losing authenticity is never a good strategy.

"The Edges Usually Pay Off" (Seth Godin).

Don't be afraid to have a small business that is different - Following/chasing the masses is not always the best strategy. Seth Godin puts this into perspective with a great analogy in a recent post about Danny Devito and George Clooney..."Because everyone in Hollywood is trying to be George, there are a lot more opportunities for the few Dannys willing to show up. Invest in Danny. The edges usually pay off."

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Managing Small Business Growth by Balancing Big + Small - By Mark Smiciklas

About the Author: Mark Smiciklas

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Mark Smiciklas is a Vancouver strategist that uses a casual, no-nonsense approach to help businesses engage with their audiences using new marketing, social media and brand journalism. To find out more please visit http://www.intersectionconsulting.com/. If you are interested in more thoughts and ideas on marketing and social media please visit the Intersection Blog at http://www.intersectionconsulting.com/blog/ Download Mark's FREE E-BOOK, "The Small Picture - A Visual Guide To Marketing & Management Ideas for Small Business", at http://www.intersectionconsulting.com/ebook.php.
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