Setting The Bar And Then Raising It

By: Caitlin Sherman, Copywriter

Dave has been busy shuttling between Lynchburg and Harrisonburg this week building his BURGer empire, so I’m filling in with another special edition of the Weekly Report.

Marketing is an integral part of any successful business plan. Where there’s competition, there’s a need to rise above the rest. In standing out comes the opportunity to set the bar for what other businesses are doing with their marketing efforts. When you make the marketing blueprint that others follow, you can continue to modify it, raising the bar for yourself and businesses to come.

Setting the bar is easy. Raising the bar takes more work. Establishing a standard of excellence that you and others follow doesn’t have to be rocket science. It can be achieved by implementing innovative marketing strategies and creating creatively crafted campaigns to capture the attention of your audience and differentiate your business from others.

There are many ways to become (and remain) an industry leader. Here are a couple of things we recommend:

1. Create a unique brand identity. Nothing speaks to an audience more than a strong brand voice, visual identity, and messaging – literally. By establishing a consistent brand identity, you can create a memorable and recognizable brand that sets you apart from the competition.
2. Take inspiration from new trends. Look at Duolingo for example. The company provides language education programs and certification. The brand took to TikTok and connected with users through trending sounds and situations, making it one of the most talked about accounts on the platform over the past couple of years. Businesses can reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness by listening to what their audience is talking about. If you want someone to play in your sandbox, you have to play in theirs. Keeping up-to-date with what’s current is great practice for someday creating your own trend for others to use.

Regularly analyze and measure the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns, and make adjustments as needed. Research trends and learn from them. When you stay ahead of the curve, raising the bar gets a little easier.

If you want to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, aim to stand out and set the standard for those around you. Focus on creating a unique brand identity, embracing new technologies and trends, and continuously improving your marketing strategies to establish your business as an industry leader and drive long-term success.