Through our work at the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida, we provide no-cost consulting to a wide range of diverse business clients. Some are doing very well as they seek our consultant’s insight to help them expand into new markets. And we see companies struggling to stay competitive during challenging times. While there are many factors that probably separate the two types of companies mentioned above, we often find that the successful companies have a firm vision of their brand’s value and have the ability to communicate that position in a clear, concise and compelling manner. In contrast, the companies that struggle typically haven’t found their “voice” in the marketplace and blindly wander trying to be all things to all customers. In today’s highly volatile marketplace where every dollar is important, the stakes are too high to not find your true brand vision. In 2020 and beyond, your brand vision must be clear — perfectly focused – or 20/20. How does a company find that vision? We help our clients find that vision through a variety of exercises designed to find a distinct ‘a-ha’ moment that uniquely encompasses the true value of the client’s brand that no other competitor can define. Content contributed by Scott Carpenter, Florida SBDC at USF

1. Create Your Brand
with 20/20 Vision
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A brand symbolically
represents the customer’s
perceptions, expectations,
past experiences and
feelings about
the company’s
products and services.
It’s a planning statement that
crafts the uniqueness of the
brand that directly creates
the “promise of value” the
company will deliver each and
every time
the product interacts
with the end customer.
Essentially, this position is
the emotional space a
company wants to own in
the target consumer’s mind
— the benefits a business
wants them to think of when
they
think of the brand.
Through a competitive
analysis, clients can
determine how to
position themselves not
only away from the
competition, but at a
much higher level than
the sea of sameness.
UNDERSTANDING BRAND
CREATING A VALUE
PROPOSITION
BRAND POSITION
COMPETITIVE
ANALYSIS
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