You don’ t have to try so hard
Conform, fit in, think inside the box, don ' t blur the lines..... We have all been told from a young age, that it is important to fit in and be one with the majority-blend in, not blur out; Fade into the crowds not stand out in the blue ocean.
We try, try, try so hard to be like the others and do as the Romans do while in Rome. The paradigm shift in the mindset that will thrive in this new digital economy, is not to fit in but to stand out. Differentiation provides unique positioning which in turn leads to brand equity, power and enduring smiles on Main Street first and then on Wall Street. It ' s ok to be different-it ' s ok to stand out; in fact, it is desirable and required to be heard amongst the " me too " cacophony. What you are speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say.
Brands, individuals, corporations, universities, governments, military ' s, neighborhoods and lifestyles have spent enormous resources( time, effort, money, capital, labor) to create a unique positioning and a distinct and growing piece of real estate in our psyche ' s and our minds. As Philip Kotler, and the leading brand luminaries of today so lucidly enunciate, a Brand provides comfort and reduces the cognitive dissonance that is inherent in a purchase decision and the resulting action that occurs when we engage with a brand. Brand value can be a sustainable competitive advantage worth its weight in gold on the balance sheet, the income statement and most importantly in the inter-temporal, accretive stock value. Art, music, fashion, jewelry, lifestyle and every other facet of life that appeals to any of our five senses, flirts with our emotion and intellect, in many instances by first being different and standing out. The ensuing dance begins with the brand and the consumer initially noticing each other from amongst the crowds. Differentiation leads to Attraction, that leads to Interaction, which in turn leads to XLV( customer / brand / organization Lifetime Value)-the nirvana and elixir, we are all frantically searching for both in the physical world, and in its digital counterpart.
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