I received this in the Entireweb Newsletter today. While it belabors (to me) the obvious, it makes a very good point that all small businesses need to learn but never seem to get:

Be Unique
Make sure your visual marketing is as distinct and individual as your organization. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see (or hear) a commercial for an automobile dealership? There seems to be an unwritten rule that they must all be loud and overbearing. You know which spots we’re talking about: 20 font styles with 20 different colors; flashing, flying and spinning video and graphics; and an extremely loud voiceover. Does the similarity of these commercials help one dealership stand out from the others?The same holds true for visual communication efforts that use templates, clip art, or overused formats. You deserve a visual presence that is as unique as your organization. Don’t follow the crowd–rise above it!

I talk about this alot. In Advertising, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery. It’s just a waste of money. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “that’s how people in our business market…” We’ve always done it this way is what you expect to hear from employees. Not from the Top Leadership.Jay Abraham gets his best advertising ideas by looking outside the industry he’s working with. What works for other industries can work for yours if your marketing people show a little imagination. 

This reminds me of the story I told about how Schlitz Beer went from the Number 8 selling beer in America to Number One. Just like all the car dealer ads, Schlitz sold their beer with the very same advertising that everyone in their industry used. Copywriter Claude Hopkins had a better idea. If you want to learn how he did it, follow the link to the complete story on How Claude Hopkins Took Schlitz Beer From 8th In Sales to Number One…

Bob McClain or WordsmithBob, has been a website copywriter in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, since 2000. He has focused on developing new, more effective approaches to web writing, web content, web copywriting and Search Engine Optimization. Starting with a BA in Technical Communication and a minor in Creative Writing from Metro State University in St. Paul, McClain has worked diligently to end the use of "corp-speak" and "technospeak" online. His approach is to “humanize” the Web, using real information to guide people to buy rather than turning websites into advertisements that people can easily ignore. McClain is also the creator of Cheap SEO Website Marketing, a website devoted to helping people with the best solutions to DIY SEO at an affordable cost with tips and software reviews. More at Cheap SEO Website Marketing

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Originally posted 2008-05-06 16:49:54. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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