These words became a national catch phrase in mid 1980's and catapulted Wendy's hamburger chain into limelight as a major player in fast food sales.

Wendy's credits "Where's Beef" ad campaign with a 31% jump in sales and a 24% boost in year-end profits.

Not bad for a campaign built on a three-word ad slogan.

Granted, you may not have budget to build a brand awareness campaign as Wendy's did, but you certainly should practice advertising strategies that are built around your own unique business identity.

Identify Your Uniqueness

If you haven't yet put a finger on distinct quality that sets your business apart from your competition, then you need to get busy. You only need one quality. Just one.

This unique quality that sets you apart from herd is your brand. It is essence - fabric - that runs through your operation. It speaks to consumers instantly about nature of your service or product, your reputation, your commitment, your uniqueness.

Once identified, you must be able to clearly communicate your brand to consumers. There are two easily recognizable ways to do this: with your logo and tagline.

A branded business has a memorable logo. A straight- forward example is Ford's blue oval, while a more abstract example is Nike checkmark. Your logo is visual component of your brand.

The next component is a written or verbal one. It is referred to as your tagline, and it reflects exact position you are assuming in relation to your customer, your product, and your competitors. Specifically, it clearly defines quality which differentiates your business from competitors while extolling benefit your customer will enjoy.

Coca Cola's statement of being 'The Real Thing' is a classic example of positioning in relation to a competitor. Clearly, if they're real thing - original - then other guy isn't. But does this mean anything to consumers? The benefit to customer is kind of murky.

For small business owner it's better to go with a more narrowly defined tagline that clearly denotes uniqueness. The sandwich shop Quizno's exemplifies this with their tagline 'Oven Toasted Tastes Better'.

Five Ways to Promote Your Unique Identity

Your logo and tagline are valuable property. Make them a visible thread that runs through all your promotions. Here are five great ways to get your brand name out there in front of consumers:

1. Give Away Something People Will Expose To Others

After we entered school we had a lot to learn. We left sand box, nap, and all day playing with our imagination. No wonder we have lost touch with our original, playful, creativity. We are in information age, expecting to read short, concise pieces. Yet, we can, if we play a little, add more of our original ideas to our books if we use metaphor.

Metaphor means wedding a word to an image, sound or feeling. Metaphor is a fusing of dissimilar entities into one new image. Metaphor asserts a likeness between two unlike things. Images are word pictures that give language power and richness by involving our senses in experience. When you wed an image or feeling to something totally unexpected, you produce a new pattern--a metaphor that creates a powerful picture.

The purpose of metaphor is to intensify your awareness of images around you. Clichés are worn out metaphors. Avoid platitudes because your reader will be bored with them and not read on. Write naturally and avoid pompous words like "utilize."

Metaphors create tension and excitement by producing new connections. Hence, they reveal a truth about world we previously didn't recognize. The power of metaphor is to surprise us.... Marilyn Ferguson, author of The Aquarian Conspiracy, says, "Metaphor builds a bridge between hemispheres, symbolically carrying knowledge from mute right brain so it can be recognized by left as being like something already known."

When your potential customers glance (about 12 seconds) at your front cover and back cover, and see originality there through metaphor, they will gain insight that sheds new light on a familiar concept, idea, event or feeling. Your metaphors hook them and seduce them. Now, they will hand you their check or credit card feeling good about themselves for decision.

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