I recently revisited a book I’d read some time ago called Why Johnny Can’t Brand, and was reminded of some important concepts. If you’re looking to strengthen your brand, here’s a quick review of some aspects of your business that you might need to re-evaluate.In his book, Bill Schley emphasizes the importance of establishing what he calls your ‘Dominant Selling Idea.’ In other words, what does your company do better than anyone else, and how can you get people to associate your company with your DSI?
A DSI should be very specific and well defined. Blurring the edges to give the company some wiggle room is beneficial to neither the customer nor the company. If a business does not know exactly what it does, neither will its potential customers. A Dominant Selling Idea must be spelled out in crystal clarity; it must be completely obvious to everyone.
A Dominant Selling Idea should be the driving force behind everything your company does. It should dictate:
- The company name
- Customer interaction
- Policies and procedures
- All marketing strategies
- Etc.
Sometimes finding a Dominant Selling Idea isn’t easy. It can take a lot of time and resources to develop. Some businesses feel that they can’t afford to ‘waste’ efforts on such a project, but there’s actually no better use of resources.
Often, it’s difficult to know where to begin on a project of this magnitude. The book, Why Johnny Can’t Brand, provides a detailed plan of action from start to finish that can guide you to finding your DSI.