The Familiarity Trigger
All things being equal, people do business with people they know, like and trust. So get to know the people you want to serve.
Get your logo out there, too, as soon as you have one. If you’ve ever traveled to a foreign country, you’ve experienced how welcoming it is to spot a McDonald’s, a KFC or a Coca-Cola logo (even if you never indulge) in a sea of foreign-language signage.
The word “familiar” comes from “family.” Family is culturally thought of as “a soft place to fall,” “a safe place to fail,” and “a place where they’ll always have to take you in.”
This is why every start-up has to struggle mightily against brand names and corporate logos. We consider the big guns a part of our cultural tribe. Not only can the big guns afford major ad campaigns but their trademarks are evident everywhere. The only way to beat them is to become even more familiar than they are: that is, to get into your target audience’s games with them, on community and civic boards with them, and rub shoulders with them.
Do this well and you’ll outshine the big guns. You’ll create loyalties. You’ll be memorable and available.
