In the British industrial revolution, William Lever saw the opportunity make his fortune. He took a loan of a few thousand dollars, hired the finest chemists and made soap that was easier to lather, faster to clean and nicer smelling than any soap on the market. He called it Sunlight.
But that was only one part of his genius. He also had the foresight to use the power of packaging to convey a superior product and quality.
Lever’s Stroke of Marketing Genius
Unlike his competitors, Lever wrapped his soap in parchment and placed in a colourful carton.
“Now this was the first time soap had been put into a carton”, says Robert Opie, Founder of Museum of Brands, “so that was revolutionary in its own rights…but it’s also more visible in the shop window.”
The result was a soap brand that looked more valuable and was more visible. The packaging and the positioning of the soap made it more appealing to the customer. Within four years, the Sunlight factory was producing 14,000 tonnes of soap a year. And so began one of the biggest brands in the world – Unilever.
How to Market Your Business More Successfully
The Unilever Sunlight story has two lessons. First, it is important to have a good product. Unilever’s soap was a better soap than his competitors. Second, it is not enough to have a good product; you also need to package and present it professionally.
Chances are you do not sell soap or other consumer goods. Chances are you sell services. How does this relate to your business? How can you improve your ‘packaging’ to be more appealing to your customers?
By creating a professional image. If you a service based business then engaging a professional graphic and web design firm to create a professional image for you firm is one of the best marketing activities you can undertake. At the very least, you should have the following:
- Get a professional logo and business cards
- Get a professional you@yourdomain.com email address
- Get a professional looking website which looks good and has relevant content
- Get professional shopfront / vehicle signage
Learn more about getting your own domain and email address.