Businesses start and fail because they offer no clear proposition to the market. If your customers find it difficult to work out what you sell they will find another offering that feels more accessible. Customers avoid purchasing anything if they feel intimidated. They want to buy products and services that are easy to understand and appealing to them personally. It is impossible to appeal to everyone and if you try you will dilute your value and confuse your customers. Selecting how you want to compete in the market place is a powerful step towards building a solid and successful business, be it as a sole proprietor or small business. This is called brand positioning and it is a process that will give you a clear idea of how you want to be seen by your customers. It will guide your communication and your product choices and you will begin to understand when you are diluting your brand or building it.
The Alchemy process for Small Businesses involves 3 key stages:
1. Information:
Completing an in-depth Questionnaire will prompt you to think about all areas of your business/brand
2. Insight:
The answers you have given are reviewed and collated into a presentation that forms the core of your brand positioning
3. Brand Positioning:
A presentation document that summarises the business insight and can be used as a design guide or decision making filter