I was at a wedding recently where the dessert table was festooned with a dozen cakes all the same size, all with the same white icing. Each cake featured a unique edible flower to differentiate it from the others. 

When it came time to “cut the cake”, we learned each cake was made from a family recipe that had been passed down in the bride’s family. While they looked alike, each cake was different.  

The first cake was made from the original recipe; the next was gluten free, after a nut-free one followed, then a dairy-free, a sugar-free, one with raisins, and another with pineapple! As we approached this buffet of options, we selected our preferred version.  

The experience had me wondering, is this how businesses brand these days? And do buyers choose a service provider based on the icing, like a fancy logo or label, or by the ingredients of the “cake” on offer? 

Since 86% of business haven’t defined their value proposition, how does a buyer know what special ingredients are or are not included in your offering? This is especially true of anyone in a crowded marketplace like accounting, financial services or law. Those services need to ensure they know what’s in their “cake” to be able to clearly identify what makes them special and to help a potential client understand the experience they offer.  

When there is an overwhelming choice for buyers, do the options all look the same? Is your brand driven by the pretty “icing” or the substance of the “cake”? At Impagination, we specialize in uncovering all the specific ingredients that make up your “cake” before we brand it with just the right topping to attract more clients like your best clients!