Have you lost track of who you were?
…or who you wanted to be as a company?
When you started your business you thought you were going to set the industry on fire by doing things better; by providing a better product or service; and by being better than the competition.
You had a passion for your business and you were going to let your clients see that passion in everything you did.
Most importantly, you knew you could do things differently, and you knew the market would appreciate that difference.
But somewhere along the line, things changed ever so slightly.
- You got caught up in the day-to-day
- You were overwhelmed with making sales, paying bills and doing (endless) paperwork
- Or maybe the differences you identified didn’t turn immediately into the sales you planned
Eventually, it became difficult to remember why you started out on your own, and more importantly, it became harder for your customers to see what made you different.
While these outcomes can be frustrating there is no case for concern. In the lifecycle of a small and medium sized business, it is common to lose track of your original focus, and forget your primary brand attributes.
If you are currently at this stage with your own business, maybe it’s time to take a look at your brand, and your original promise to the customer?
To do that, your challenge will be to refocus your efforts and to remember what got you into your business in the first place. And more importantly, to ask yourself:
- If the reasons you had at the start are still relevant today?
- Is your promise still a reality in your daily business?
- Or does your message need to be revised or updated to fit your current situation?
The process of revisiting your brand, if done properly, can be an energizing experience for your company. It can help you find your passion and refocus your efforts. And in the process, you just might remember why you got into the business in the first place!