Rebrand - part 2: Why I thrived in a failing sports team

I’ve always been more about collaboration and community over competition. Ever since primary school when everyone got into the sports team because the school was so small. And when we got a reputation for coming last in every game, I was proud of (and relieved by) the fact we cared more about having fun than winning!

Last year I learned that my sister who is ultra-competitive (in a healthy, working on her personal best way but also winning enough to be a world champ way!) found this exact same trait of our humble school sports teams…embarrassing!!! What the??!!

This is the effect of brand positioning! I was competing, or non-competing, in the right kind of sports environment for me. It allowed me to create a love of team sports, when they were about fun. But for my sister, she was in the wrong level of competition, the wrong sports environment for her. If I ever found myself in her world champ shoes? I’d buckle and be put-off sport forever (the 4am starts never suited this night-owl anyway!!).

Being the only one doing something can be lucrative

Back to brand positioning and your business competitors. It’s about learning where in the industry field, your business currently plays. And where there might be an opportunity to grow that doesn’t have many other ‘players’ currently.

If you’re in the business of generating loyal customers who pay extra for your service and quality, you don’t need to compete with the cheap as chips biz in a pricing battle. It’s a different field.

During the brand strategy process we compare and differentiate, in table form, your business and your competitors. When I did this, it became because obvious that there is no other business exactly like Paige Digital. Some of you might be thinking, ‘but there’s heaps of designers that do what you do’! And you’re right, but they don’t do it the same way that I do. The benefit of learning how you’re similar or different to others, is that you can then intentionally enhance and play up to your differences. And then, if you want to, capitalise on them. Because being the only one doing something can be lucrative.

From the competitor analysis table, I create a competitor map which is a simplified visual representation of the most important information to you. This map is both an anchor and source of comfort when you feel like your business is no different from any other, AND a motivator to keep focussing on what makes you different.

🌼 So if there’s one point to take away from this? Work out how you’re different, and expand it, talk about it, OPENLY ENJOY THAT THING!

The thing that makes Paige Digital (soon to be Design Salad) different from every other brand design business? My artist/art-nerd background combined with business strategy. There is an art to feeling how colour and line will be understood, and I’ve been studying it knowingly and unknowingly for 20+ years! And when that is paired with insightful, bold strategy, the sky’s the limit. I’m not the only designer with an art background, but there aren’t many, and none exactly like me!

So go and find that thing you do differently and better! Just spend 10 mins thinking/writing about it and then slowly work it into all your communication.

If you need a hand working it out, a 1:1 consultation may be enough for you, or we can do a full brand strategy and Brand Book (about 1 week).