Ordinary is…

Defining Ordinary Marketing

being one of the leaders in your industry

being passionate about results

being innovative in your approach

being experts in your field

being led by your customers’ values

being excited about your nomination

being a business that only hires the best

being driven by success

being 100% committed to customer needs

being a 24/7 business in 2019

being dedicated to delivered on time

being a business where your people are at the heart of your success

being a one-stop solution

being friendly and dedicated

being different to your competitors

being attentive to the needs of your clients

being this, being that and being the other

being focused on the detail

being everything to everybody…

It’s easy to say you’re being something

Modern day lorem ipsum. Website filler.

The problem?

These are phrases that apply to most. And yet we use them to present ourselves as unique.

The issue isn’t the overuse of generic one-size-fits-all phrases. It’s the belief that people want to read about you. They don’t. They want to read about themselves. We humans? we’re selfish so-and-sos.

Your goal is to translate the common phrases into something that’s meaningful to your reader. The person sat on the other side of the code.

Ordinary is being everything to everybody

The last thing you want to do in business is restrict the size of your audience. To limit the opportunity to grow your business. So, your message is a message to all.

Your marketing amplifies the message that you’ll cater for all.

So, you talk about all the great things you do. All the great things you’ve achieved.

You are not Amazon. Niche is good. A small audience is great in a big, big world.

Here lies the problem

Online, you must win the right to talk about yourselves. That right is rewarded once you’ve persuaded me (your potential customer) that you can, in fact, help me.  When you’ve evoked my interest. When you’ve won my attention. Once you’ve made what you make matter.

So, ask yourself, what’s the common ground you share with your intended audience?

What do you stand for? How will that impact upon my life? What does it help me to achieve? Why should I care?

The ‘being…’ phrases listed above are found within websites where founders and marketers haven’t yet figured out who (or what) they represent to their audience.

Offline, in the ‘real world’ they may be customer-focused and humble in their approach. Somewhere, however, there’s a misalignment. Misguidance that, for their online audience, they should push a hyperbolic message to present their business above all others (the competition).

Why? It’s the easy route. It’s a comfy situation to present your business as ‘one of the leaders’ rather than standing out with a message unique to your business.

There’s a fear of being the brand less ordinary within your industry.

To address individual needs as apposed to everybody’s conceivable needs.

The fear of commanding your niche.

Ordinary is offering everything to everybody.

Be the brand less ordinary.


Written By:
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Ian Rhodes

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First employee of an ecommerce startup back in 1998. I've been using building and growing ecommerce brands ever since (including my own). Get weekly growth lessons from my own work delivered to your inbox below.

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