On finding the right words to make your business stand out

I know how hard it can be to express what makes your business unique. Even more so if you’re feeling overwhelmed by competitors who appear louder, brasher and more sure of themselves.

A great deal of the business owners who hire us to rebrand their business are frustrated that they’re not expressing themselves clearly. Many haven’t a clue why customers choose them over their competitor. Or, heartbreakingly, some tell us that they get booked simply because they’re available to deliver the work when others are not, or that they’re a bit cheaper than their competitors. This is no foundation for building a successful brand. Don’t be the ‘that’ll do’ option. You’re better than that.

In my experience, it’s the most modest business owners – the ones who are least likely to blow their own trumpet – that are the ones who are really worth listening to.

Here’s what I’d love for you:

A diary brimming with people who can’t wait to work with you
An ability to see your own brilliance
The confidence that comes from knowing what it is that makes your business so special
The words to express your strengths, without feeling as though you’re being arrogant.
You know how to get all of these things? Speak to your customers.

Speak to them. Ask what it was they valued most about working with you. Ask why they chose you over your competitors. Then craft your messages around what they tell you.

Not only does it immediately provide you with the words to express yourself, it also boosts your confidence. And you might just hear things you didn’t expect.

For example, I know that our clients love us for our design style. I know this. I also know we’re pretty good at providing a healthy dose of commercial thinking. What I didn’t know was just how much this matters to our clients.

“From start to finish I feel I have a team of friends that care and believe in me, and are there to support and advise with a professional, informed eye. Ditto have it all and deliver it with such elegance and a passion that makes you realise this is not just a job but an endeavour that they are committed to with a real genuine dedication and talent”

“We approached Ditto to help create our brand identity. However, Hannah helped us define what we were aiming to achieve and we came away with so much more than a logo; she helped shape a path and direction of where our business might be heading”

“With Ditto, you don’t just get a brand; you get a vision, direction, message and purpose for your business. It has shaped my business entirely and allowed me to move forward with confidence”

I’ve not shown you these to show off (they’re nice though, aren’t they), but to demonstrate something quite key: none of them actually mention design, which is the thing I’d expect clients to comment on. They all talk about how working with us made them feel. That tells us that what people really value is the connection we make with our clients – that’s something I wouldn’t have known had I not asked. And since expressing this sentiment to people who don’t know us yet isn’t easy, these testimonials are the perfect way to communicate the extra depth of what we do to those considering hiring us.

We use testimonials on our website, in our proposals, in our welcome brochure and on our social media. We use them anywhere where we need to reinforce a certain point, or in any instance where we want to add a more emotive twist to our message. It’s worked wonders.

It comes down to this: you need to know what makes you different if you’ve any hope of standing out. Don’t wait for people to figure it out on their own – know what makes you brilliant and express it, clearly and confidently.

It can feel scary to ask customers what they think. But it opens doors to helping you attract more of the people who make work feel less like work. And who doesn’t want more of that?

Go on - ask that question. I dare you.