It’s a story line as old as Hollywood. Our hero sets off on a quest, only to be thwarted by the bad guys. But our hero won’t give up. He regroups, draws up a new plan, gets some help from an unlikely source, and rides in to save the day.

Comebacks in the business world aren’t so easy. There are no special effects to remedy a poorly made product, a crumbling distribution chain or sagging consumer confidence. But if you follow the same plot line, there is a way out.

Fix the things that are broken. Make the tough decisions. And then get some help.

If you’ve got a new story to tell, make sure it gets heard. If you have an improved product, make sure it stands out as such. If you’re going to be a better partner to your retailers, make sure they know how.

By giving your company, product or service a new personality, you can reinvent yourself to the world. And who knows? By doing so, you might just create a happy Hollywood ending of your own.

From the moment man first gazed into the stars and recognized his own existence, he has sought answers to the eternal questions.

Who am I? Why am I here? Who wants to buy what I have to sell?

Okay, so maybe that last question isn’t one of the big three propositions of self-realization, but each of those quandaries have perplexed marketers for quite a while now. A select few have found the answers and gone on to fame and fortune. Those who didn’t have gone the way of the video rental store. 

So before you write your next ad, design your next website, or post your next video, ask yourself, “What makes my brand special?” And don’t do a thing until you know what that is.

Money dumped into me-too promotion of so-what messaging is a big waste of time and an even bigger waste of money.

If you’ll take the time to understand what your audience wants and expects from you, you’ll do a much better job of matching your messaging and your product with the people who will appreciate it.