There are so many things vying for people’s attention these days. It’s difficult for anything to stand out anymore. So how can you make sure your brand is noticed? How can you ensure your brand is noticeably different from your competitors? Copycats, ‘me-too’ brands and those that lag behind all fade into the background soon enough.
Here’s why brand differentiation is vital to the success of your business:
Everyone is already at the top
There are traits that companies used to use to stand out amongst their competitors. The trouble is, those competitors noticed and now they’re doing them too. So, today it’s so important to look for a different way to separate your brand from the others – what can you do that no-one else does?
The Unique Selling Proposition is dead
It used to be enough to say that your product was different from the rest. That won’t cut it anymore. Consumers are increasingly looking at brands as badges of a particular worldview. If you can’t answer the questions ‘what’s your company story?’ and ‘what does your company stand for?’ there’s little that will help you stand out from the crowd. Think about aligning your brand with a Unique Selling Perspective, instead.
Your market category is choked with competitors
It’s very likely that someone else is offering almost exactly what you’re offering. Why should a consumer choose you over them? If you feel constrained by market categories, it might be time to break out of them altogether. Stop accepting popular wisdom about delivery constraints, or what your services ‘should be’. Create a new category where you’re number one.
Individualize and standardize
Yes, you can do both – and it’s the individualizing that can make all the difference. How does Mercedes individualize mass-produced cars? By supplying each purchaser with a unique identifying number and an app on their smartphone. Suddenly, it’s personal, and each customer receives individual service and attention. Is there a way you can do this in your business? How can you make your process individualized? That single personal experience can be enough for you to stand out. Suddenly you’ll be seeing amazing growth from word of mouth, trust us.
We live in a world of disruption
There are a lot of voices competing for a consumer’s attention. Media is available every minute of every day. It takes a lot to cut through that noise. Market disruptors have changed the conversation so it’s about them. They do this by acting radically, making truly innovative changes (not just the same vague improvements everyone else is making). Get smart and get disruptive if you want to be noticed.
What’s the takeaway here? If you don’t differentiate, you die. Tell a story. Give your target market something to connect with. Then, take your amazing product or service and make it personal. Everyone’s going to be talking about it.