Good is good enough?

Unless you are a very rare organization, someone else out there sells what you sell.  Insurance, an education, a widget, wisdom & insights, a phone.  There is no such thing as a totally unique product or service any more.

Let's assume your product is good.  And so is your competition's.  Taking your product to the next notch — very good should mean you could sell more, right? 

Wrong.  Unless you create a whole new product, a slight improvement isn't going to move market share.  (It may make you more profitable though!) We are surrounded by me-too products and companies.  Can you even think of a product or service that is unique?

Product performance marketing isn't enough anymore.  So, now what? 

If we can't sell based on our product and we don't want to sell on price, what's left? Your brand. The buying experience. That's the only place left for differentiation. You need to look for and recognize your exceptional difference.  And, you need to make every contact with you be a memorable experience.

A marketer's job is to help the potential client make an emotional connection to your company, product or service.  This requires a well-planned, consistent, repetitive branding strategy that is aimed at specific prospects. 

How's your branding strategy?  Is it working throughout your entire organization, not just in your ads or on your website?  Is it something every employee can understand, explain and actually believe?