It’s basic marketing, right? As marketers, we are the promoters of uniqueness. However, in practice, too often the marketing message gets watered down from the time it is conceived until it hits the streets and ends up not pushing anything but the same old stuff. Too often uniqueness gets tangled up with someone else’s marketing efforts and you do the same things to promote your business as the next guy down the street. To your customers, there is no distinction between the two of you. At that point, you are both a commodity and the only question in the customer’s mind is: who will sell at the lowest price?

If you are going to make your marketing message say more than who has the lowest prices (and you really don’t need a marketing department to sell low prices), then you need to find your Wow. First, what is the one thing that is unique about your business? How do you solve problems or fulfill a need for your customers? How do you do this better than your competitors? Create a message that is easy to understand and make this the focus of your marketing efforts. Put that message into all of your advertising. Highlight it on your web site. Make it part of the brand. Make sure people can’t hear that phrase without thinking of your company, your products or your services.

Secondly, where can you promote your uniqueness so that your customers will take note of it and you will be the only one in your industry advertising to them in this way? There is a great benefit to you if you can find the marketing platform where you are the only one on stage. It sets you apart as an expert in your field. It says you are a trendsetter in your industry. Anytime you can find a marketing venue, medium or sponsorship where you stand alone, get on board quickly. In the world of marketing, there are plenty of copycats – it’s an easy thing to do. When you find that place where you stand alone, do your best to own the marketing.

Robyn Spizman was a stay-at-home mother when she decided to write a book about  making your own crafts. There are probably a million books on crafts that have been published over the years. Trying to sell her book, Robyn sold herself to an Atlanta TV station as an expert on decorating with inexpensive items. She made an appearance on a show called Noonday that was targeted to other stay-at-home mothers.  She was asked back to talk about shopping on a budget. Pretty soon she was asked to do a regular segment twice a week on the show as a shopping expert. As time went by, she began to cover topics such as gift giving and parenting. This led to a 25 year career as an on-air TV expert and her own radio show. Who of those million authors of craft books found this unique way of marketing a book? No one. She owned the marketing venue in Atlanta. "After studying the marketplace, I realized that there weren’t many, if even any, shopping experts in the local media at that time” says Spizman. "It’s important to be an authority in your own backyard first, and that’s a great way to build your craft, talents, and skills. It’s all about knowing what stands out and hollers fabulous. One thing I’ve always said is that America doesn’t need same old, same old.”  Indeed!

Is there a caution about being too unique? Yes, there is and it all has to do with how your customers perceive your marketing message. Sometimes in business we live and breathe what we do to the point that only those on the inside really understand what we are talking about. I had a conversation with my 16 year old about the importance of changing his car’s engine oil the other day and I told him that old oil can lose its "viscosity.” Why did I say that? Mainly because I have heard that in marketing messages from oil companies. When my son challenged me on what I meant, I was at a loss to explain why old oil does not have the viscosity of new oil. The best I could come up with is that old oil is full of little pieces of dirt which slow down the flow of oil like mud would slow the flow of water. He bought it and changed his oil. Your uniqueness needs to be stated in such a way that a 16 year old can get it.

The other caution I would throw your way is that uniqueness can be judged pretty harshly if you step over a line of good taste. See my article Pushing the Uniqueness Button: Just how far is too far in marketing? It all goes back to the customer. How do they respond to your message of uniqueness? Are you really solving problems for them? Does the marketing venue you have chosen bring you more credibility? If the answer is yes, step on the gas. Make your marketing help you stand out from the crowd. It is what marketing is supposed to do.