Everywhere you look in Victoria there are cranes, pylons and the neon vests of construction workers.
The development industry is booming and over-saturation is a constant threat for businesses trying to distinguish themselves from the crowd. But at the Vancouver Island Construction Conference on Friday, hosted by the Vancouver Island Construction Association, branding specialist and CBC radio host Terry OB次元官网网址橰eilly said there is a key strategy for keeping your business afloat: stand out.
B次元官网网址淲hen thereB次元官网网址檚 that much competition it really pays to have the smartest, most unique brand out there because itB次元官网网址檚 the one way to stand out,B次元官网网址� he told the B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淎ttention is the oxygen of marketing.B次元官网网址�
This idea translates from globally-recognized businesses like Apple, to mom and pop shops down the street, which OB次元官网网址橰eilly said succeed by looking at what their competitors are doing and deciding to do something different.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a reason why all car ads look the same, all beer ads look the same; itB次元官网网址檚 because theyB次元官网网址檙e all looking around and trying to sort of resemble each other, which is terrible marketing,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淵ou know Coke would never try to resemble Pepsi, Apple would never try to look like Microsoft, and West Jet never tries to look like Air Canada.B次元官网网址�
OB次元官网网址橰eilly said itB次元官网网址檚 essential that businesses continue to focus on their branding and their image, even when the economy is strong.
B次元官网网址淲hen the economy goes soft, when it cycles B次元官网网址� which it always does B次元官网网址� if you didnB次元官网网址檛 build up your brand in the busy times, youB次元官网网址檙e in trouble because now you donB次元官网网址檛 have a brand,B次元官网网址� he said. When the economy weakens, people tend to look to recognizable brands because they are safer options, he added.
Some industries are better at branding than others, OB次元官网网址橰eilly noted, with the biggest differences seen between product-based businesses and service-based businesses like construction. The latter are a lot harder to sell, he said, because they are based on people, not things.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a product at the end, a house or building, but itB次元官网网址檚 your service youB次元官网网址檙e selling; your ability to build or your ability to design, to engineer, but itB次元官网网址檚 still an invisible skill set.B次元官网网址�
Still, that means service-based industries have more leeway in how they branch out.
B次元官网网址淭he ironic statement about services is that they do less branding, yet they have more creative opportunity than selling products,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址橰eilly said. B次元官网网址淢y message is to zig [when the others zag]. Amateurs think marketing is all about selling stuff, but the pros know itB次元官网网址檚 all about differentiating your company.B次元官网网址�
