Don’t Confuse Differentiation with Superiority
Welcome to the Why to Wow newsletter which is all about inspiring the hearts and minds of people worldwide with the Power of Differentiation. In the Why to Wow newsletter, I share my experiences over the last 40+ years helping leaders differentiate their brands and products. I hope it will inspire you to discover and share your own brand’s uniqueness with the world.
A stumbling block for leaders is thinking that in order for their brand to be differentiated, it must be superior. That’s simply not the case. You must find one, two, or maybe three areas where you are unique and focus on them. Don’t obsess over claiming to be the best, as it is usually subjective in the eyes of the customer. There’s a reason you produce your product or service like you do, so honor and celebrate that.
Here are three mind-blowing concepts to help you focus on your brand distinctiveness—even if you think it needs a lot of work.
Difference-maker: View your strange or weird trait as a “beauty mark.”
Think of former super model Cindy Crawford and her signature birthmark. Sure, she was beautiful, but she had that “mole” (or, as it is officially known, melanocytic nevus), and her family and others urged her to get it surgically removed. Wisely, she didn’t for fear of it leaving a scar. Instead, she embraced it and it became her signature. I am not exaggerating when I say that you most likely have a unique approach, process, technology, or something else that is your signature. Don’t surgically remove it. I guarantee if you do, it’ll leave scars.
Difference-maker: Give yourself permission to ignore a weakness (as long as you are committed to improving on it).
I LOVE Harley-Davidson and learned how to ride a Heritage Classic at the ripe age of fifty, because it’s an inspiring brand. A few decades back, when Japanese motorcycles were entering the U.S., Harleys were being positioned as loud, less-than-mechanically-sound bikes by the competition. While some Harleys may have “left their mark” (oil leaks) in garages, they also were beautifully designed and delivered an incomparable brand experience. So, yes, the leaders at H-D addressed product reliability, but they maintained their primary focus on their enviable position as THE best, kick-a** motorcycle in the world.
Difference-maker: Allow your competition to “own” their position (but don’t try to imitate them).
My creative firm has two types of computer owners—those who want a good product that will handle day-to-day processing and Excel sheets (PCs) and those who need the most amazing, powerful machine ever created (Macs). It’s fun to hear Mac lovers argue how superior their Mac Pro’s are as PC owners roll their eyes. The same goes for the people who prefer Coke versus the Pepsi fanatics. That’s why New Coke was a disaster of epic proportions for its fans. Never try to imitate your competition. It will likely come back to haunt you.
Have you ever asked customers why they are loyal to your brand? It sounds like an obvious question, but maybe you don’t want to ask for fear of hearing something less than flattering. I am a sensitive person and find it difficult to ask the question, PLUS, when I’ve heard the responses, I have usually listened and moved on without deep analysis. The truth is that some of us—and some of our customers—buy for seemingly frivolous reasons. But they aren’t trivial; they are powerful, even if they don’t fit in a standard box of answers like “lowest price,” “best value,” or “fastest.”
Yes, we have loyal customers who appreciate our “beauty marks,” even though we’ve been embarrassed by them. Discover your uniqueness, accept it, and celebrate it.