| Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? Well, I can tell | | | | services? For approaches that really work, keep |
| you from personal experience with both my own | | | | reading...Taking a page from Jack Trout's book, |
| business and with my clients, "differentiate or die" | | | | Differentiate or Die (John Wiley & Sons, 2000), |
| is not an exaggeration. Whether you're a small | | | | here's how to stand out from your competition:1. |
| one-person shop or a large government agency, | | | | Be First. A good strategy, if you've got a really |
| solvency and the future of your business rely on | | | | good idea. If you're there first, anyone copying |
| you standing out in a competitive | | | | you later will just reinforce your value. Takes a lot |
| marketplace.Everyone is vying for the same client | | | | of stamina to pull off and sustain.2. Own an |
| dollars, whether your clients are consumers, other | | | | Attribute. Things like speed (H&R Block's fast |
| small businesses, major corporations, or federal | | | | refund) and the "experience" (a spa environment |
| agencies. Your target clients are overwhelmed | | | | in a cosmetic dental practice) are attributes. The |
| with too much information and too many choices. | | | | key is to keep it simple and focus on one or two |
| The bottom line? You still need to stand out from | | | | words that describe your differentiating attribute. |
| the crowd.Coined by Jack Trout, the father of | | | | If someone else in your niche owns it already, it's |
| "positioning" products and ideas in the minds of | | | | not yours to claim.3. Lead. If you really are #1, |
| consumers, this notion is particularly relevant for | | | | proclaim it! Being number one can take many |
| professional service firms. The problem is that | | | | forms...you can lead on sales (#1 on your local |
| your clients have a choice...and they need your | | | | business journal's list of top firms), you can lead |
| help to understand why to choose your firm over | | | | through technology (the fastest digital printer in |
| others offering similar services.And just because | | | | town), and you can lead through performance |
| you currently have a client, doesn't mean they'll | | | | (ranked #1 by satisfied customers for five |
| stay. There's a big difference between their | | | | straight years).4. Use Heritage. Having a long |
| satisfaction and commitment. Did you know that | | | | history makes people feel secure. If your firm has |
| more than 40% of customers who claimed to be | | | | been in business for 10 years, celebrate it! |
| satisfied switched to a new service | | | | Likewise, "locational" heritage can make you stand |
| provider?1Thinking strategically about how to | | | | out. Think perfume and wine from France. |
| move your clients from satisfied to committed is | | | | Government contracting expertise from |
| not discretionary. Differentiation is one of the | | | | Washington, DC. Safari travel planning from a |
| most important strategic and tactical activities in | | | | long-time resident of Africa.5. Pick a Specialty. A |
| which a professional service firm must engage.For | | | | natural for professional service firms, this is all |
| professional service firms, this is very tricky. It | | | | about being an expert. A simple example is my |
| involves articulating the concrete value of | | | | company, TurningPointe Marketing. We help |
| something that, in your clients' minds, is tough to | | | | professional service firms (not retailers, not |
| quantify. Not only do you have to catch and hold | | | | consumer products companies, not the auto |
| their attention in the first place, you must | | | | industry) attract more clients. A great way to |
| demonstrate the bottom-line impact your services | | | | differentiate, unless there are a lot of others |
| make in their lives. Differentiation will do that for | | | | pitching the same specialty.6. Be Preferred. Do |
| you.What Not to DoBefore we look at | | | | moms prefer your daycare services over others? |
| differentiation strategies that work, here are | | | | Does the federal government prefer to work |
| some to avoid:Banking on creativity. Vague, | | | | with you because you offer a discount? Does |
| artistic marketing messages are a waste of your | | | | your local city magazine rank you as a preferred |
| target audience's time. When it comes to building | | | | pediatrician? Third-party endorsements are worth |
| trust and confidence in your firm as the best | | | | their weight in gold - if you can get them, they're |
| solution to their problem, prospects want | | | | a great way to stand apart.7. Use a Different |
| concrete, specific, direct information. Don't make | | | | Approach. Do you make house calls? Does your |
| them work too hard to understand your | | | | firm offer untraditional hours of service? Think |
| message.There's a lot of fuzzy, ineffectual | | | | about what your ideal client really needs that |
| marketing going on out there under the guise of | | | | others aren't offering, then do it.8. Be the Latest. |
| being creative. Don't be seduced by the poetic or | | | | Technology companies have this nailed - every |
| beautiful. Do keep your eye on clearly sharing | | | | year a faster chip or bigger system replaces last |
| information without burying it underneath | | | | year's model. Can your salon offer the newest |
| creativity.Pricing yourself into extinction. Don't | | | | advances in skincare? What about the latest |
| become a commodity by lowering your price to | | | | approach to data security? Whatever it is, make |
| be different. When clients choose your firm over | | | | sure it solves a real problem, doesn't mess with |
| others because of price, your value fades and | | | | tradition, and truly is a better solution.9. Be Hot! If |
| you're no longer unique.The one way to | | | | you just got a great review, an industry award, |
| differentiate yourself using price? By being the | | | | or your story covered in the press, leverage it. |
| most expensive! Price becomes an inherent | | | | This also works if you're solving a problem or |
| benefit by portraying prestige and quality. This is | | | | aligned with a good cause. The key is to be |
| easily true of products (think Rolex, Louis Vitton) | | | | truthful and to spread the word quickly.How do |
| and is equally true for professional services (think | | | | you know which strategy to go with? Look at the |
| high-end, private medical practices; financial | | | | market context of the moment. If other firms |
| advisors who work only with "family offices" of | | | | "own" a certain differentiator already, don't go |
| the wealthy).Doing it all. Trying to be all things to | | | | there. Pick something else. Then offer your proof |
| all people ("our firm offers a wide range of | | | | and communicate it broadly both on- and offline. |
| practices") is the worst way to be unique. Not | | | | It's about being logical first, creative second. Do |
| only do you overwhelm prospects with choices, | | | | this consistently, and you'll clearly stand out in the |
| you make it easy for your competitors to offer | | | | crowd.Helping professional service firms attract |
| the same.The Internet makes it particularly easy | | | | more clients, stabilize their business and take their |
| for your competition to match what you offer - | | | | practice to the next level.1 Trout, J. (2000). |
| it's easy to comparison shop online. So then it | | | | Differentiate or Die. New York: John Wiley & |
| comes down to who's got the better price...a | | | | Sons.We encourage sharing and publication of |
| losing proposition for everyone involved - including | | | | Your Monthly TurningPointe in whole or in part if |
| the customer. Eventually, you'll no longer be able | | | | copyright and attribution, including live web site link |
| to afford to serve them, or will resent having to | | | | and email link, are always included. Please let us |
| give away your services.Choosing to be specific | | | | know where and when it will appear. Thank |
| and narrow your offer takes courage, yet it's | | | | you!(c) 2004 TurningPointe Marketing, Inc. All rights |
| how to stand out in your customers' minds, and it | | | | reserved. Marketing educator, Kelly O'Brien, is |
| lets you charge what your worth.So how do you | | | | creator of the "Create a TurningPointe!" Marketing |
| effectively differentiate your professional | | | | Bootcamp. |