Are You Lazy with Your Branding?

This is a re-publishing of a post I originally wrote April 17, 2009. It still holds up today.

When I started this series, a few people made the point, “It doesn’t matter if my template website looks exactly like Joe Shmoe 3,000 miles away. The clients who hire me won’t see those other guys anyway.” Or, “My clients love my website, what does it matter if it looks like that other guys.”

This is what I like to call “Lazy Branding.” Yes, it is quite possible that many of your current clients have not seen the other guy’s website (or promo or blog or whatever it is that looks so much like yours). But, how many potential clients did you unknowingly lose because you blended in with everyone else? Maybe your site doesn’t necessarily scream “I copied Joe’s website,” but, if you’re one of two dozen websites a potential client has seen that all look alike, I don’t care how pretty they are, you’re blending in and you’re not standing out. You’re making it harder on yourself to book the clients you ARE getting.

So, here are my top 3 reasons you should make a point to differentiate yourself, even if you think no one is noticing.

1. People ARE Noticing: I think you’re fooling yourself if you believe that in this digi-flat world that just because a bride is in NYC she isn’t seeing your website even though you’re in CA.  (And I’m using bride as an example because I know a lot of my blog readers serve the wedding industry. If you serve a corporate clientele, this applies even more to you). When a bride picks up that copy of Grace Ormonde, Martha Stewart, YWD, WedLuxe, whatever, do you think she’s just jumping to that section of the magazine with the vendors in her geographical area? Of course not. She’s reading it cover to cover to get ideas for her wedding. And chances are, she’ll look at a bunch of websites from vendors all over, even if she doesn’t intend to hire outside her area because she’s getting ideas; she’s looking all over the internet for inspiration. So, if you have the same website as the twenty other photographers/videographers she’s seen, once she DOES start narrowing in on vendors, you’re just going to blend in. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard potential clients mention a video they saw somewhere, but couldn’t remember the name of the company or where they saw it because they all started to look alike.

2. You Need the Exercise: developing a unique brand is a necessary exercise every smart business person should go through. It forces you to focus and determine what you’re really about, which in turn will help drive your business decisions. The better you know what your brand is about, the better you can communicate to a potential client what sets  you apart from the pack, and why they should hire you. If you’re lazy with your branding, you’ll revert to saying things like, “Well, you should hire us because we are very creative. We put our heart into everything we do.” Blech! Who isn’t creative? Who doesn’t put their heart into everything they do? If you can’t really set yourself apart, you’re losing business.

3. The World is Your Playground: if you’re in a service oriented business like photography or videography and you’re only looking to win clients in your geographic area, you’re missing out. I hear so many people lament about not being able to earn high fees in their city because they live in a small town. Yet there is example after example after example of visual artists I know who live in podunk towns or Timbuktu, and are getting top dollar. Why? Because they don’t see their market is as the 100 mile radius that surrounds them. The world is their playground. They shoot jobs in LA, NY, Seattle, TX, Mexico, wherever. So, in essence, you ARE competing with the guy 3,000 miles away. Just because you don’t go to his town, doesn’t mean he ain’t comin’ to yours. And if you’re not setting yourself apart, you may be losing work to that guy 3,000 miles away.

When we moved from Silicon Valley to a suburb of Atlanta, everyone asked me, “Aren’t you afraid of losing business.” And I was like, “No.” I have clients all over the country. I’ve built a network of trusted filmmakers in every major metro, so if a client can’t/won’t fly me out, I’ll hire a local shooter in that metro. If I had to rely on just clientele in one area, it would’ve limited our ability to pick up and move. That means those of you only focusing on your immediate geographic area aren’t just limiting your business, your limiting your lifestyle.

ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO DO GET TEMPLATE SITES

I’m not saying you can’t have a template site. Heck, this blog you’re reading is a template. But it’s not my primary launch point for my business. It’s a side tool I use to rant and rave and pretend like I know something. 😉 And it’s a template that I’ve never seen used. So, I think if you’re going to use a template site, keep these things in mind:

1. Pick a template that’s rarely used.
2. Invest in a pro to develop your logo and copy. (If you paid $100 for your website, use the money you saved to hire a brand consultant).
3. Less is more. A clean simple site without a lot of bells and whistles forces your work to be the center of attention. And if you’re work can’t set you apart, you need more help than what this blog can offer. 🙂