{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Smart Tan News","provider_url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com","title":"Avoid Being Just an \u201c-er Brand\u201d - Smart Tan News","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"SpfpXFmAfc\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/avoid-being-just-an-er-brand\/\">Avoid Being Just an \u201c-er Brand\u201d<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/index.php\/avoid-being-just-an-er-brand\/embed\/#?secret=SpfpXFmAfc\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Avoid Being Just an \u201c-er Brand\u201d&#8221; &#8212; Smart Tan News\" data-secret=\"SpfpXFmAfc\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"A member of a start-up advisory program, Denise Yohn, explains one way she evaluates business pitches in a recent article for Harvard Business Review: The \u201c-er brand\u201d filter. An \u201c-er brand\u201d relies on other brands, products and services to describe their own, Yohn says in the article \u201cDon\u2019t Settle for Being an \u201c-er Brand.\u201d Think Hyundai \u2013 the car company wants to be seen as just as good as Lexus, but cheap-er. This type of positioning tells potential customers that your brand has only relative, not inherent value. It\u2019s great to be cheaper, faster, and better \u2013 but you should never let those relative traits define your business. Here are several ways to avoid being an \u201c-er brand,\u201d and ensure that your business is differentiated to the core:   Why \u2013 purpose and values. A powerful and oft-overlooked way to differentiate is with your mission and values. And once you\u2019ve distinguished yourself here, everything else falls into place. Tropical and spa brands are popular in the industry, and there\u2019s certainly nothing wrong with that, but think about how different you could be by focusing your salon on the values of an active lifestyle. Dedicate your salon to being the ultimate destination for preparations for glamorous events. Or tie your mission directly to a cause that\u2019s important to you\u2026anything that makes you distinctive.  Who \u2013 target customers. You can also define your brand based on who it\u2019s for. Maybe older women find other brands in your market to be too childish and would love to find a place more refined. Perhaps men are uncomfortable with the feminine-styled salons in the area and want something more clean and neutral. You don\u2019t have to alienate everyone else by defining a target customer, but you also can\u2019t focus on getting them all. If you can be the best at accommodating to one segment, you should be in good shape.  How \u2013 personality. Think about Southwest Airlines, Trader Joe\u2019s, and Harley-Davidson \u2013 these brands are built on a distinctive personality. Imagine your business as a person \u2013 who would it be? Think about it that way, and make sure that every aspect and detail of the business reflects that personality.  Click here to read the article from Harvard Business Review.","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/news.smarttan.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Smart-Tan-Logo.jpg","thumbnail_width":520,"thumbnail_height":200}