Your Brand Lives Inside Your Product
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.
Every day you walk past it. It’s practically invisible to you and your team. It’s sometimes devalued and often assumed that it is precisely what your competitors are doing. Yet you have gone to great lengths to create it…
I’m talking about your product, process, technology, or design—whether it’s motorcycles, rail cars, steel, valves, components, or less tangible things like your safety process or lifetime warranty. You are producing unique, valuable things that contain your brand’s DNA!
And this applies to service companies as well. Here’s what’s sad—not only do many leaders turn a blind eye to their differentiation, but they are sometimes embarrassed by it. I’ll share a few true stories, but before I do, please understand that if what I just described applies to your company, you are not only losing profit and market share but you’re also failing to inspire your people with your brand’s uniqueness. This will rob them of their significance, resulting in low retention/high turnover.
Difference-maker: Just as brands share their value story with customers, they must also share it with their employees, giving them purpose behind what they do.
The Hidden Gem.
A truck company was planning a new product launch. While conducting a Technical Immersion, my team visited their facility to discover any differentiations in manufacturing, design, or processes. As we sat with their team, they said that their warranties were subpar in the industry, as some competitors covered general electrical and mechanical issues. Then they mentioned their lifetime frame warranty. I asked if that was standard in the industry. The leader replied, "No, not at all. We use a special steel from Sweden so our frame never breaks down." This is an example of overlooked differentiation.
This excellent company had spent time and money to produce a superior truck frame that was nearly indestructible, yet that was ignored. Moving forward, they named the warranty and promoted it, setting them apart from the competition.
Difference-maker: Look for the uniqueness in what you offer. I’m sure you have something, or you would not be in business. Are you charging fairly for it? Is your team proud of it? Have you named it?
A Little Brand’s Big Deal.
A brand may offer something unique, but undercharge for it and even view it as a negative. An Amish recreational vehicle company was known for its willingness to customize virtually every aspect of its coaches. Customers loved it as they could create the precise coach they wanted, even redesigning the entire floor plan. However, there was a problem: this was an inefficient process in the manufacturing plant as it took additional time and effort to build these bespoke units. Dealers were irritated with the complexity of sitting with customers for hours as they created their model. The brand decided to stop selling this level of customization and adopt what the competition was doing: producing units that offered only limited options.
Initially, this worked well as it was more profitable for the manufacturer and easier for the dealer to sell. Employees at the plants were relieved that they didn’t have to be burdened trying to build different units on the same production line. Then, sales plummeted as customers realized they could no longer create their own masterpieces and left for the established, more generic competition. This brand undervalued its uniqueness and now had to pivot. Fortunately, their leaders were nimble and rose to that challenge.
So, they decided to return to their roots—their uniqueness—and produce fully customized RVs once again. This time, they promoted and celebrated it and (drum roll) charged a premium for it. Sure, it was more work, but it was valued. Ultimately, this made that little brand a big deal in the hearts of customers, dealers, and employees.
Difference-maker: Your uniqueness, differentiation, or distinctiveness is living inside what you offer. Take the cover off it and let it shine. Celebrate it and honor it.