Most founders don't understand differentiation.
They either see it as becoming so different that people don't consider their offer as an option...
...OR they go so basic that their "differentiation" is nothing more than a basic requirement of doing business.
Neither is correct.
And neither will position your business as the ONLY choice.
Differentiation doesn't exist in the extremes.
It's far simpler and far more potent than that.
Let's dive in.
What Differentiation is NOT
Most founders, marketers, and LinkedIn fluffluencers define differentiation as basic expectations for doing business.
I've heard it all:
- We care about our customers
- We are the best in the industry
- We have unmatched quality
- Our personality sets us apart
- No one can match our team
While those may sound good, they aren't differentiators.
Here's why:
- Every company says they care
- Every company says they are the best
- Every company touts their quality
- Every company believes their personality is amazing
- Every company thinks their team is the best thing since sliced bread
When every company says the same thing, it's not a differentiator.
And, the main reason those are differentiators:
Customers expect that from any vendor they work with.
Who goes on Google and searches for a website developer who hates their clients?
Or the worst CRM in the world?
Or the project management platform that crashes after 1 month?
Or the comms agency that acts like a dick?
Or the IOT remote monitoring company with the sh*ttiest team?
NO ONE.
Because those aren't differentiators. They are your customer's most basic expectations.
What Differentiation IS
Differentiation is something you DO, not something you are.
It's your framework, process, deliverable, or methodology β something clear you can point to and say, "This is why you should buy from us."
Take a look at some of our clients' differentiators:
- Creating customizable trailers
- Turning OEM data into a prioritized to-do list
- Building a 5-year IP playbook
- Connecting clients to organizations that can boost the visibility of their nonprofit
- Creating a comms checklist for executives
To you, those might not seem exciting.
I mean, they aren't Liquid Death's "put water in a beer can" level of excitement.
But those differentiators do something powerful:
They force a choice.
It tells customers β you can choose option A (us) or option B (our competitors).
- You can buy a stock trailer OR a trailer customized to your business needs
- You can pull all your data to a dashboard and sift it yourself OR you can turn it into a to-do list for your team
- You can apply for patents and trademarks willy-nilly OR you can have a detailed plan that tells you when to apply to protect your business from unforeseen legal issues
- You can get a typical comms strategy OR you can get connected to other people and organizations who can put your nonprofit in front of influencers, politicians, newscasters, and more.
- You can get a typical comms strategy OR you can get a playbook and checklist that makes it easy for your execs to get buy-in on new initiatives.
Something you DO that forces a choice.
That's the rule when trying to determine your differentiation.
Be Different
Ultimately, a differentiator is about DOING something different.
- Something your company is exceptionally good at
- Something your customers want or need
- Something your competitors can't or won't do
You won't have trouble standing out if you find something that hits those three criteria and forces a choice.
Standing out gets you noticed.
And getting noticed by the RIGHT prospects is how you land more clients.
Ready to land more clients and improve profitability?
βGet an Onlyness Brand & Marketing Strategy.β
We'll uncover your differentiator and create an experience that helps you own it in the minds of your ideal customers.
All so you attract, convert, delight, and keep more of them.
Until next week,
#SassyJason out.
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