What Is Your Point of Difference?

What Is Your Point of Difference?

Blue Dog Marketing works with many consultants, some of whom are in the same field of work. How do they stand out from their competition? How can a marketing firm, such as Blue Dog Marketing, partner with you to help your business be unique?

Every business needs to differentiate themselves from their competition. They need to have a unique point of difference.  If your business doesn’t stand out from the crowd, you will likely get lost in the general background noise of other similar businesses competing for attention.

Determining the point of difference is a challenge for many businesses. Competing on price is not generally a viable idea, so how do you find the one particular thing that sets your business apart from the rest?

Why is point of difference so important in your marketing?

Once you have identified your target audience, you need to determine how you are going to market to them. Although your marketing partner can help you with the tactics, you will need to decide how to present yourself to attract the clients you want. This generally means that you will need to let them know how and why you can meet their needs better than other businesses like yours.

How do I work out my point of difference?

If you don't have an obvious differentiator from your competition, one straightforward way to find out what you do differently is to ask your current clients. A few questions you can ask them include:

·         What is one thing that we do better than the others?
·         What made you choose us?
·         Would you refer us, and if so, what would you say?

You may discover that your strengths as a business are different than you previously thought. You may be meeting a need that you didn't know existed, without even realizing it. Try to get your customers to give you as many specifics as possible, including examples of times when your business has demonstrated the qualities they mention. Chances are there will be a common thread once you have spoken to a few of your clients, and you can use this to base your point of difference on.

Once you and your marketing partner have decided on your point of difference, you will have a solid foundation for your marketing strategy, as well as a clear idea of where to position your business and how to market to your target audience. Your point of difference will assist in forming your marketing message and help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.