We’re not talking cold, melting or falling from the sky in winter. No, the one feature of a snowflake that you ought to look to emulate in your business is uniqueness. Just as no two snowflakes are ever alike – ice crystals that make up each snowflake have a different formulation each time they come together – so your business will possess unique characteristics that will set it apart from any other.

And this uniqueness should be evident at several levels. When you are marketing your business, you will want it to stand out in the minds of your target audience as being distinct and different from rivals.

There will be structural differences, too. Everything from how you have structured and run your business on a day to day basis; to the precise mix and make-up of your product or service line.

Then there’s the unique personality that your business will have. And we’re talking here about the business, rather than you the business owner – there’s a vital step you have to take, in separating the two and setting out your stall.

Making this distinction is vital for your success. Do so, and your business is much easier for both you and future staff to describe to prospects. You will appear as a corporation, rather than simply a freelancer; commanding a higher level of respect and also potentially justifying higher charge-out rates.

When hiring staff, the distinction gives them greater confidence and something distinct and impersonal to talk about and promote to others. And for clients, this is an important step towards working on your business, not just in your business, and educating them to expect other people rather than just you to be handling their requests.

So what steps can you take to ensure you express your unique attractions?

Don’t just develop a business plan, create a brand plan

It doesn’t have to be long or complex, but it should be written down. Clarify your business structure, product or service offerings, vision, mission and marketing strategy. This will help discover your unique edge.

Identify those unique strands

It may be hard work initially, but discovering your unique edge will make promoting your business so much easier. Don’t assume things are “common sense” – they may be to you, but to others they are expertise and their employment may be of great value to them.

Search through your offering, and work out what is better or different from others; that’s your unique competitive edge. If you’re struggling, ask clients what it is that makes you different. Use outsiders to help you with this, as they can find it much easier than someone close to the business day to day.

Establish the difference between personal and business uniqueness

Quite how distinct you might want to make the difference could depend on where you see your business going. Are you looking to grow large, or to remain small while focussing on improved revenues? You need to strike a balance – if the business character suddenly appears too different from yours, customers may feel they are no longer going to enjoy personal service.

But if growth is your plan, think about creating a unique brand that can grow with the scale of the organisation. It will need to be something your staff can grasp and express, and ultimately a characteristic against which you can measure the match of potential new recruits.

One easy way to start this is to observe the personality traits you employ most in personal situations, versus those used more in business meetings. Rank these and understand which ones will be most useful to bring into your business’s personality. As an example, if you are an expressive story teller to your children, then you could translate this into an expressive way of presenting the story of your business to potential customers – ensuring conviction and their appreciation of the personality you allow to shine through.

Express that uniqueness in your brand

It is a common mistake to make a brand too bland, simply in an attempt to make it appear professional. Others go too much the other way, with quirky design, or in-jokes that mean nothing to outsiders.

But the best brands do express a character of their own, and it is this balance that you need to strike. Shapes and symbols need to be clearly understood, with a choice of colourways to express character and the ensemble carefully considered as to its appropriateness to the business’s standards and feel. Quirky or reliable, comforting or fun, these emotions can be sparked by the correct – or incorrect – choice of brand details.

Summary

Follow these four steps and you will be in good shape to clearly express your uniqueness. Create a balance of professionalism with character elements, to give your business its own unique feel, precisely aligned to its mission and values. And, like every snowflake, you will then be able to clearly demonstrate just how you are like no other – and give potential customers a reason to choose you first.

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