By Maddy McAlpine

Brand positioning is key to staying relevant in today’s world of information overload. With the never-ending stream of resources available, it’s easy to be misinformed or be overwhelmed by the number of paths your brand could take.

We recommend starting with these three steps to effectively define your brand and position it for your targeted audience.

1. Embrace your competition.

There’s almost always going to be a Pepsi to your Coca-cola. A BMW to your Mercedes. It’s a hard one to accept, but almost no one offers a completely unique product or service. No matter what you are selling or offering, chances are good that you have competition.

Instead of focusing on your product, take the opportunity to focus on your competition and your audience. How are you different from your competition? And if you aren’t that different from your competition, how can you position yourself to stand out? What you learn from asking these questions can sometimes make all the difference.

2. Avoid clichés like the plague.

It’s impossible to position yourself as different or better if you are using the same tired language that everyone has heard a million times before. This includes:

• Great customer service
• Exceeding customer expectations
• One-stop shop
• Hidden gem

Vague, clichéd phrases mean virtually nothing, causing people to shut down and not be receptive to your message. The best way to gain a fresh perspective and develop strong copy is simply to hire a professional copywriter. It’s money well spent and will make your messaging clear, concise and cliché free.

3. Information is just as important as inspiration.

It’s important for your messaging to have facts mixed in with the bits and pieces of your brand that get you fired up. However, not all your potential clients will want to know the same things. And the facts that you find interesting or the things that get you fired up may not be what your clients care about.

It’s most important to look at who your clients are. What do they care about and what pieces of information are key when making the decision to choose your product or service?