Why do we have a tendency to overcomplicate matters? When we look to differentiate our business, it appears easier to zone in on the peripheral. Adding new things. New platforms. New campaigns. Fresh layers of work that simply replicates the same message.
The place you should look to differentiate your business is at the foundation. The heart of your brand.
Take Saddleback Leather. They make great bags. In fact they make bags that ‘they will fight over when you’re dead’. That’s their tagline. It resides in the header of each and every page of the Saddleback Leather website.
Saddleback Leather are a brilliant example of how to differentiate your business in a competitive market place.
They use the 3 natural differentiators that are often ignored (or certainly under utilised) in the marketing process. People. Process. Perspective. These 3 differentiators sit at the centre of the Saddleback Leather brand.
- People – Dave (the founder) weaves his backstory and his personality into the brand
- Process – As a customer you’ll know exactly what has gone into the creation of your bag
- Perspective – You’re investing in a bag that is made to last a lifetime.
Some companies like to show off their machinery. Take UK shoe retailer Hotter.com as an example. You get to learn how their factory manages to churn a new pair every 20 seconds:
Sure, there’s an outline of the process. But it’s just that, an outline. Automation rarely whets the appetite. I say rarely. People have spent 500,000 minutes watching the making of the Viennetta ice cream. The machine-crafting of the Viennetta is different. It’s intriguing. It’s not about the speed of the process, but the complexity. The layers upon layers.
Mass produced shoes? I’m not so sure. I’d be focusing more on the comfort of the shoe than the cold process of manufacturing. The people behind the process.
You really think you can make this?
Sharing your process demonstrates the value you deliver. You want people to understand why your product costs what it does? Go granular. Share the process, or if you’re bold, offer the alternative.
Dave’s video demonstrates why his bags are the real deal. Sure, you can buy cheaper… you’re going to get what you pay for.
Now consider your own marketplace. There’s an alternative to what your own business offers. What’s the demonstrable difference between you and the others?
What if you start taking ownership of the challenge that your own customers face?
Own the dilemma.
- Could your customer find a cheaper alternative?
- Could your customer find a quicker alternative?
- Could your customer find a bigger alternative?
There’s a reason your business exists. There’s a reason you’re on the map in the first place. Now consider how you can directly present the alternative whilst validating your own position.
This is the sign of a confident business. Confident marketing. A business that is ready to own up to the choice their customer faces. You’ve already had these discussions or thoughts numerous times. How do you separate what you do from the competition?
Why not use your competitor analysis as your competitive advantage?
Some people in the marketing world like to talk about ‘standing out from the competition’. This isn’t the case. Instead, consider how you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with your audience, your customers. What information can you provide to help them make their decision in your favour?
Smarter marketing resonates from the foundations of your craft. Why should I choose you over the alternative?
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