One of the unquestionable truths of modern business is that there is almost nothing that your competitors can't duplicate in a matter of weeks or months. If you have a great idea, you can be sure that somebody will copy you before long. Not only will they take your idea, but they will also be able to do a better job or sell the product or service at a lower price. The question then becomes, "Why should they buy mine and not his?”

The Answer, Branding!

People don't buy a shampoo to clean their hair. They buy it because; the natural ingredients, and anti-oxidants will cling to each and every strand of their hair making them feel as if they had washed their hair in holy water. Their hair now feels as pure as silk… you get the picture. People buy the idea the product gives them and the story behind it! That's why when a fragrance is launched no one ever say's this is a great citrus fragrance or this smells of vanilla. They tell you that this exquisite delicate fragrance, will awaken the senses of all men, capture their hearts and provoke their mind. You see the story behind the product is what the consumer buys.

So when trying to build a business don't sell your product sell you're brand. You need to think, what is my customer trying to achieve by purchasing my product? But more importantly what will it give him or her that no one else can? An example of this is the Iphone you could sell the product as a touch screen phone that has a phone, web browser and an ipod all in one or you could sell the brand. This incredible phone will save you time, money and revolutionize they way you run your life! No more getting lost with the maps application or can't think of that song you heard last night simply hum into the iphone's application and problem solved! Now those last two words problem and solved is how you make the big bucks you solve problems.

Three Steps to solving consumer problems:

1) Identify the problem to the consumer (Shampoo – you need your hair to feel like silk after washing it)
2) Educate them about the problem – (Natural products are great for getting silky hair)
3) Then solve the problem (and what do you know our product is natural and leaves your hair feeling silky!)

This is the one reason and one reason only anyone buys anything, and that is to solve a problem or to enhance their life in some large or small way. Nobody buys a 50” Plasma TV because they just want a 50” Plasma. They believe it will enhance their viewing ability and give them something that they couldn't have got from anywhere else. This, my friend is where you as the seller need to fill the gap or the void! With your great, fantastic, couldn't live without product and sell the dream and not the product, because if you don't then your product won't sell!

For more info on branding and success in business go to www.IEmployMe.com