My book, KILLER BRANDS, makes the point over and over that you do not have to be blessed with a massive budget or dominant resources to compellingly differentiate your brand.

You just need to choose a focus that creates a differentiated and compelling expectation for your brand, align everything to deliver that focus, and make sure your communications link that expectation to your brand’s name.

Here is an excellent example. The town is Middletown, California, an isolated community in the foothills about an hour north of NAPA. The town has a little over 1,000 people and three places to eat; Beulah’s Cafe, the Boar’s Breath, and the Cowpoke Cafe. Each represented a different expectation to me, the most compelling of which was the Cowpoke Cafe. I expected good, hearty portions for hungry active people

I ordered a sampling of breakfast to see how authentic-to-concept the food was. The pancakes were eleven inches in diameter as measured with a dollar bill. The country-fried steak covered the entire oversized plate with barely room for the eggs. Authentic it was.

I asked the owner, Shawna, why a sign said she was temporarily closed for dinner. Her answer, “can’t find a good chef.” This owner closed down during dinner rather than serve off-strategy food.