I heard an advertisement on the radio the other day that surprised me, not because they were saying anything noteworthy, but because it was so banal. It was a national company’s ad. They pay an ad agency to write and produce their commercials. There are so many words at their disposal, so many descriptions, so many emotional statements to attract customers, why would they use the trite phrase, “ knowledgeable, friendly staff to serve you”? Even if they couldn’t think of anything exciting, they could have used, “if you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers”, “we specialize in providing answers”…”specializing in premium products and effective solutions”.”Try and stump the staff with your questions, they love a challenge”. “We don’t have all the answers but we’ll help find solutions”

Even if you don’t have anything new to say, you can still say it with style, create a connection to the consumer or create a buzz. Use customers’ experiences and what they have to say to create a unique message. There is a reason that a customer comes to you rather than the competition. You may have to ask a number of questions to get to the real reason. Even if the only reason is that you are closer than the competition..you can make a joke about it. You can brand your business with an attitude rather than a specific product line. If you present your business in a blasé manner, people will be blasé about dealing with you.

Ho Hum is not something you can take to the bank! Building a recognizable brand offers measurable results, measurable through increased response, increased traffic, and increased attention. Take a stand, chose a niche and give it different perspective.

Think about how long the t-shirt has been around. How many hundreds of times has it been reworked as a successful business? With the right words and vision it’s not just a t-shirt; it’s a billboard for social commentary, beliefs, attitude statements, advertising, fashion and/or art. Each of these businesses has successfully created a unique niche by creatively saying they sell t-shirts. T-Shirt Deli – Chicago www.tshirtdeli.com/, Turkish T-Box http://www.t-box.com.tr/v2/, Banka de Camisetas http://www.bancadecamisetas.com.br/, skwTeez www.squeezeteez.com

Yes, you do want friendly, knowledgeable staff working in your business, but if you want to convey that or any other message to prospective customers, present the information so that it’s believable. Forget the clichés and take some time to put together words that mean something to your prospective customers.

Nancy Fraser is the president of Nota Bene Consulting an advertising and marketing company that offers "out of the box" communication advice,design development and implimentation of branding and marketing campaigns that require clients to "First Ponder and then Dare". http://www.notable-marketing.com

• The Aim of the Name


• Mascots – The Killer Promotional Concept


• Light Up Necklaces Help Promote Red Doors Movie at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival Awards


• Corporate Internet Branding is only Part of A Business Success


• Corporate Logo Design – 6 Keys to Success


• Whats In A Name? When It Comes To Your Business, Plenty!


• Business Case Study Automotive Detailing Franchise Company


• Trade Journals in Franchising


• The Very Basics of Design


• Entrepreneur Speaks on Brand Extension in the Franchise Cleaning Business