Differentiating your business can be as simple as serving a niche part of your market by offering your package in a different way, or your reputation for a special process and unique practical knowledge, or the branding related to your business and its people.
Prospects really can’t tell the difference without good marketing communications
The problem could be that your business is being seen as the same as your competitors, where one accountant looks like another as do most plumbers. Of course this may not be true, but unless you’re able to differentiate your business and tell your story the clients won’t be able to tell the difference.
Ask your clients and prospects about your communications
While this can be done by a consultant you can do this very effectively yourself, if you have the time. You don’t need to interview many in order to ascertain specifically why they will buy from you, how they found you, what makes them stay with you and why they refer other businesses to you. Somebody who buys from you is more likely to tell you the truth about what you do that is different or unique. The value of direct communications with prospects and clients should not be underestimated.
Become the authority in your market segments
Find a way that really makes your communications present you as the obvious authority in your industry or market. Then you can tell the world how you are truly different or the go-to person. You will very quickly rise to the top of your market and price will no longer be an issue.
Often businesses state they provide quality work and fair pricing, but unfortunately, they are not differences, they’re normal expectations. Your prospects believe that if you’re in business, you’ve got a business card, a website or a sign out the front, you will meet these expectations.
Study your competition and their marketing communications methods
What are they doing differently and what do they claim to do that is different? Competitors can also help you to recognise gaps in the market, who are the experts and who you have to rise above.
Price is not a solid basis for a core difference
Your differentiation could be in the way you price your services, but this can be a dangerous strategy as all your competitors have to do is lower their prices and then it becomes a race to the bottom. Communications about price should be the last thing you present to your prospect, after they understand what you are offering.
What happens in your business when you pick up the phone and the prospect asks “how much”? Because this means they are basing their decision on price as their way of sorting one supplier from another. When you are asked this question the prospect has usually done their research and is ready to buy. It also means that the customer has not been able to differentiate you from your competitors across your ‘touch points’, particularly your website and its content.
Putting your core difference into your communications
Once you have identified what genuinely sets you apart, write it down in one or two plain sentences. If you cannot explain your difference simply, your prospects will not be able to remember it or repeat it to others.
Then make sure that message appears consistently at every touch point. Your communications should tell the same story wherever a prospect meets your business:
- The headline and opening paragraph on your website home page
- Your social media profiles and regular posts
- Proposals, quotes and email signatures
- The way your team answers the phone and describes what you do
Back up your claims with proof. Case studies, testimonials, worked examples and helpful articles show prospects that your difference is real rather than just another marketing promise.
Finally, revisit your message regularly. Markets change, competitors copy good ideas and your business will evolve. A quick review every year, including a few fresh conversations with clients, will keep your communications sharp and your core difference clear, so price stops being the first question prospects ask.
