The StartUp Blog at PartnerUp

Having a point of differentiation that matters to a particular market is a critical marketing strategy. That’s why it’s essential to actively find and aggressively communicate to consumers what it is that makes you different

I read a great post by John Jantsch on Duct Tape Marketing blog the other day about the importance of establishing a point of differentiation between you and your competitors. According to Jantsch it’s “what sets the truly successful business apart from the businesses relegated to compete on price.” He goes on to talk about how businesses that compete on price alone don’t last long because there will always be someone “willing to go out of business faster than you.” So you have to be different from the status quo if you want to go anywhere but down.

The problem with being different is that most businesses think they’re different, but few actually are. You have to be willing to take a good, hard look at your company and ask what it is that really sets you apart. Do you add services to products or products to services? Is your sales process a little “out there?” Do you package your services differently? These are all things that Jantsch suggests you try to figure out. Find whatever it is that makes you distinct (or come up with something if there really isn’t anything there to work with) and then shout it from the rooftops.