Uniqueness - that quality which sets you apart from the rest

The initial contact most people have with your business is with your business image. Perceptions on whether your business is a tin pot operation or a slick multi-million dollar multi - national corporation are often made with the image of the business in mind. Consider Coca-Cola and the lengths they go to market there image. It is no luck that they are the giants they are,

The art of marketing image begins with some understanding of human nature. Each of us market ourselves everyday, the way we dress for work and for play is in fact marketing ourselves. The need to attract and feel wanted and needed is primary in most people. Setting image is paramount in achieving any goal in
this area.

Converting this into a business sense is in fact not that hard. The primary aim of most business is to survive. This survival depends on the business attracting customers or clients firstly and then to satisfy their wants and needs. You happy, They happy: scenario

I'll give you an extreme example of what I mean:

" A small homebased business, a mail order business puts ads into the classifieds of the daily paper looking for people to check out the new beaut gismo they're selling. In response to a request for information they reply with a hand written intro letter and a photocopied blotchy image of the item. Guess how long this business would survive?

Image is the "whole" face you show to customers, the ongoing relationship you have with them and what you put into all of your stationary, letterheads, logos, bizzy cards and promotional material. It is part of what is your uniqueness and depends on how you wish to be seen by the world, because it is the world that will judge your business effectiveness. Image stands between success and failure, mediocrity and excellence.

The Cost of setting up this image need not be extreme, in fact with the advent of advanced word processing and desktop publishing systems and the Internet, the costs can be minimal and dispropportionate to the actual increase in business.

The setting up of a business image is one point, marketing that image is another altogether - check out John's section on Marketing for the Internet as this has some good hints that will assist you in both Internet and land based business.