The ONLY Way to Avoid being a “Me-Too” Company

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The best way to make sure that nobody notices you is to be just like everyone else…in everything.

That might be good advice to help a shy kid survive high school (which probably not even then), but it’s not the best advice for success in business or life.

Most of us know enough to “make fun of” people who are trying to be just like someone else.  Comedians do impersonations to be funny, and sometimes they are really funny.

Do you notice which people they impersonate?

Do they impersonate people who are just like everyone else?  No, they impersonate people who are different.

We tend to feel the same way about companies, too.  There are so many companies, and most (almost all) of these companies really are just doing things that everyone else is doing.

We don’t talk about those companies.  In fact, usually we only buy something from them if (a) it’s convenient, (b) they’re giving away something, or (c) there isn’t anyone else (they know) who offers the same thing they need right now.

So…Which companies do we discuss?  Which companies do we seek to pay?  If price is equal, who are we choosing?  We choose the best companies…or the ones we perceive to be the best at something.

How can we position our company to be different than the “rest of them?”

PPC Ad Platform Comparison: Google AdWords – Standard vs. Express

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Google AdWords is the Pay per Click (PPC) advertising platform that Google has offered for many years.  I’m embarrassed to admit that I just recently tried using its “lite version” Google AdWords Express.

Google's Search Engine Marketing (SEM) platform gets plenty of criticism, but it's what keeps Google in business.  So it must be effective for enough companies.  It's probably a mistake to discount it altogether.

At this point, I am not an expert of either the standard version nor the express version of AdWords, but I will share what I’ve learned so far about each of these by giving a breakdown of each.

Also, at the very bottom section, I make my recommendations of when it makes sense to use each of these.

Book Review: Sticky Branding by Jeremy Miller

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As part of being a member of the book launch team for a buddy of mine, Jeremy Miller, I had to read the book ahead of its official public release, but I also reviewed it...honestly.

Officially:

Sticky Branding: 12.5 Principles to Stand Out, Attract Customers, and Grow an Incredible Brand

by Jeremy Miller, Owner of Sticky Branding

Click to visit page on Amazon.

Granted I am a friend of Jeremy’s, and if you buy this book through any of my links, I will receive a small commission.  However, I am one of the most objective people you will meet, either in person or virtually online.  I definitely recommend buying this book, especially if you have a business and want to make more money.

See Also: Video: Jeremy Miller of Sticky Branding: Rebranding for the Next Generation

Here is a more thorough review of this book—good and bad:

Who’s going to buy THAT? (A Note about Your Mini-markets)

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“I’m in business, and lots of people want what I’m selling.”

I meet a lot of people, and when I meet them, many of them tell me a statement…just like that.

I don’t run anything like the Shark Tank TV show, but I hear more than my share of business ideas and plans.  A few of them are good.  A few of them are really impressive.

Most of them, however, just plainly are underdeveloped.  (There isn’t enough there to say that “it stinks.”)

See Also: Debunking a Marketing Myth: People buy what you're selling

I don’t care if you have a really neat product idea, prototype, or inventory.  I don’t care if you are able to provide awesome service.

As a business person, you need to be able to answer the question, “WHO is going to buy (what you’re offering)?”

1 Potential Benefit of Big Business over Small Business (Besides Money)

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I’m learning something really important about successful businesses.  OK, maybe I’d be more accurate to share that I’m RE-learning something really important.

There is, at least, one reason that 1-person businesses have less potential than larger businesses.  (In this context, even a 2-person business might be a “bigger” business.)  Yes, it helps when a company has money, but that’s not what I’m learning…or re-learning.

See Also: Is your success really in the toilet?  (That might be good!)

When you are in business for yourself by yourself, you get to call all of the shots and keep all of the money.

However, I see one major limitation, and it’s a big one…and it’s not money.