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Objects May Be Closer Than They Appear!

I’m sure that there’s an expectation among your peers that your business will continue to thrive. Truth is, you’re doing quite well, by doing the things you do the same way you’ve been doing them since you first put your shingle out. Similar to having that first cup of coffee in the morning, it becomes your routine. Businesses like yourself that have some history and are setting the pace based on past glories. You live buy the mantra, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Others like “tried and true” are also descriptions of processes that have served a company well. What used to work.

In their meanings however there lies a bit of paranoia. A superstition maybe, much like a ballplayers’ lucky sock. Hiding behind statements such as these can suck the life blood out of a brand, even a successful one. It is not something that will necessarily kill a brand but one that can certainly allow the competition to overtake them. It can pull them down from their leadership perch. Hiding behind these mantras gives short-term comfort from an immediate challenge.

A better more exciting approach might be to look ahead, past the horizon and operate based on what could be, dare to dream big and dare to act on it. Brands are more than your current reputation—but where it will go and how it evolves into something greater than others imagine you.

This is all a part of living up to your brand values and pushing the boundaries, perhaps you should ignore boundaries or a least view them as points for ponder. Stepping outside of the tried and true will bring back that startup excitement and rejuvenate your brand. Mantra’s being self-imposed boundaries coupled with traditional boundaries give life to anxieties that hold your brand back. It’s time to acknowledge (what was) while bathing in the glow (of what might be).

Change your peer’s discussion of your brand from “remember when…?” to “wasn’t that a lucky break…?” Luck be darned—your brand’s desire to be great transcended everyone’s dreams. Keep ’em guessing by being a moving target. A better mantra to be inspired by might be to “keep them in your rear-view mirror—objects may be closer than they appear.”

Published: May 28, 2014
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Ed Roach

For more than 25 years, Ed Roach has worked with hundreds of successful small businesses by helping them develop unique brand positioning strategies that differentiate them from their competition. Ed appreciates working with companies who see the value of going beyond mere slogans and have a desire to sell from compelling positions, and consults predominantly with businesses facilitating his proprietary process, "Brand Navigator." This branding process effectively focuses a company's brand, delivering a positioning strategy that can be taken to their marketplace. He is the author of "101 Branding Tips," a book of practical advice for your brand that you can use today.