Differentiation is as small as something that makes your customers smile to something as big as a new way to listen to and access your music—iPad. I read recently that we need to think about what our customers want by filling in the sentence for them… “I want to _____________.” Such as “I want to increase sales.”  But that is too broad.  What the owner really wants to say is “I want to increase profitable sales” or “I want to increase profit” because it narrows it down and focuses what is important.  What is the differentiation that would make a difference to the owner who “wants to increase profitable sales?”

Here is a tip for you.

Call your customer back after your service or product has been delivered. It will differentiate you in a meaningful way because no one is doing it and it will generate word of mouth advertising that will increase profitable sales.  We have five clients that we do follow-up calls for and the results tell it all. Our client’s customers are shocked and gratified. Shocked that someone cares enough to make a call after the sale and gratified because someone cares. What do they do? They recommend our clients by word of mouth and social media.  And they buy more profitable products and services.

Most owners acknowledge that it is a good idea to call customers but they say it just costs too much.  What is differentiation? It’s doing what the other guy won’t do.

Be distinct or extinct

Tom Peters said “distinct…or extinct” in his book The Brand You.  He was talking about personal branding but the same principals applies to businesses.  If you are not different enough to leave an impression you will become “extinct” in the business world.

In the book, Tom Peters gives five ideas to be distinct…

• What do I want to be known for?
• Do a Personal Brand Equity Inventory – ask business prospects and customers to tell you three words identify with you.
• “Inc.” Yourself – see yourself as an independent contractor who only gets paid for work of value.
• Develop a competence – be particularly good at something
• Develop a one-eighth page Yellow Pages advertisement for your personal brand.

Now ask the same about  your business.

Listen closely on the first two points.  I am pretty sure you will not get what you are expecting unless you have done a good job positioning and branding.

And don’t be surprised if some prospects and even friends don’t really know what you do.

Find One Thing…That Is Differentiation

A good way to stay focused on that one thing is to remember Curley in City Slickers as he explains it.

Advertise.  It pays.

About Ken Gasque

Ken Gasque is a brand image-maker, marketing planner and designer. Ken works with small companies and Fortune 500 companies who recognize the need to differentiate their products and services to stand out in a cluttered market. Ken is a highly visual, outside-the-box-thinker on advertising, branding and marketing—his work reflects his belief that “We buy with our eyes.” Ken writes and lectures on brands, design, images and brand development.