Marketing Profs

"How do leading brands stand out?" is a question we've all asked ourselves, and Valeria Maltoni recently asked it again in a post at her Conversation Agent blog. "In many ways, it all comes back to the experience they offer, which then feeds the perception of the brand."

If you'd like to transform your brand into a leader, she cites three points that can help you stay in front:

• Improvise. A leading brand responds to its environment by using intuition and technical ability to create something truly new, different or unexpected.
• Focus on your unique characteristics. Your product or service might have plenty of good points, but you'll get more traction by highlighting one or two key differentiators—and sticking to them. This is the best way, Maltoni says, to stand out amidst "a sea of sameness."
• Spend more time with your customers. According to Maltoni, it's all too easy to forget about those people who matter the most to the health of your brand. "The time to talk with customers is now," she says.

The Po!nt: "Leading brands lead because they are far out ahead creating something that has value to the people who need and want 'it,'" writes Maltoni. "The people managing those brands are not afraid to dare a little … [or] … to go all the way to the edge."

Source: Valeria Maltoni's Conversation Agent blog. Read the complete post, and brand yourself like a leader.