Rarely does a business act alone in the market. Therefore, knowing how to differentiate your business is essential to stand out. And thus gain brand loyalty and, consequently, healthy growth.
Differentiation is critical to creating a solid brand. With this, it is possible to avoid becoming a commodity. Or, even worse, needing to enter the price fight to sell.
Learning how to differentiate your company, therefore, ensures a competitive advantage. That way, the business can deliver something that competitors cannot or cannot.
The big secret, however, lies in creating sustainable and leverageable differentials. Thus, it is possible to use this differentiation precisely as a “springboard” to grow. Or, even more critical, to reinvent yourself in times of crisis.
Do you know how to differentiate your company? Keep reading and find out!
Types Of Brand Differentiation
Regarding differentiation, it is common to think of the most obvious ways related to product or service aspects. Here, we can cite factors such as “low prices” or “creative and fashionable items.”
These differentials are often quite attractive to customers. However, it is necessary to go further in a highly competitive market. Especially since now, people want to build connections with brands. In addition to consuming from companies that have values similar to yours.
With this, it is possible to consider other dimensions when thinking about how to differentiate your company, such as:
Team-Based Differentiation
By having well-trained and highly cordial employees, it is possible to differentiate by the service offered. The team’s excellent reputation, a consultative sales approach, and other factors are increasingly important. Therefore, looking at these attributes and bringing a more humanized approach to the business can be very worthwhile.
Channel-Based Differentiation
The efficiency of distribution channels can also be a competitive differentiator, especially for those businesses that work with e-commerce. To differentiate yourself here, making the purchase easier is critical, in addition to speeding up the delivery of products while maintaining quality. Amazon is an excellent example of a brand that prioritizes distribution in its operations.
Differentiation Based On Brand Image
Here, we have a powerful way to differentiate your company in the market. This approach works precisely with consumers’ social and psychological associations.
In this type of differentiation, you can convey a lifestyle that resonates with your audience—or act based on purposes and values consistent with people, such as vegan and animal cruelty-free products.
The most important thing here is that the business practices the differential. After all, there is no point in assuming an environmentally correct posture if the company does not practice this in its routine.
Service-Based Differentiation
Differentiation can be even more complex when we talk about businesses that sell services. After all, we are dealing with intangible things beyond individual understanding.
Here, it is possible to highlight three levels of differentiation:
- Confidence: the company’s reliability to deliver on time, meet and comply with expectations.
- Resilience: how the business deals with emergencies and obstacles throughout service delivery.
- Ability to innovate: even in services, it is possible to add new technologies and processes to give the customer a more complete and positive experience.
How To Differentiate Your Company
It will be difficult for your business to always be the best at everything, especially since we live in a market where technology is very advanced and fast. As a result, ensuring this type of competitiveness is often very complex. Still, it is possible to understand how to differentiate your company to be the best in customers’ eyes. But how to do it? See the tips below:
Have Your Own Identity
A strong brand has its DNA, values , and purpose. They can start from the company’s history, worldview, or willingness to contribute. What matters here is that building a brand identity will help people relate to the company. Therefore, it is worth directing efforts to meet important moments in customers’ lives.
Think, for example, about what factors motivated you to start your company. How do you intend to make a difference? What attributes do you offer that can change the customer’s life, such as convenience or sustainability?
From there, it will be possible to create a strong positioning based on a differential that impacts your customers’ lives.
Sell Your Differentials To The Right People
No attribute will be a significant differentiator for all people. After all, each values different things and has a worldview. Since you can only be some things to everyone, being the best for a niche is essential. Therefore, knowing how to communicate your company’s differentials to the right people is crucial.
Pepsi is an excellent example of a brand that didn’t try to be what it wasn’t and accepted its audience. The “Could it Be Pepsi” campaign embraced the fact that it was the latter. And that, for some people, there was no problem with that.
Use The Company Journey To Your Advantage
Companies also have a journey, just as customers go through stages when buying. You can use the company’s trajectory to your advantage to differentiate it. Often, it is precisely this path and the obstacles faced that will make you have knowledge and skills that no one else has.
Raise points such as the expertise or perspective that only your business has. Then, evaluate whether they bring points of view or ways of acting different from competitors. With this, it is possible to work on a differential that will undoubtedly be unique to the business.
Keep Track Of Competitors
Finally, it is essential to monitor competitors. After all, market gaps allow innovation and gain a competitive advantage. Understand what your competitors could do better to try to surprise customers. Here, it is as important to serve customers excellently as it is to contribute to society or present a unique style.
The more attentive you are to the market, the greater the chances of identifying opportunities. And thus, constantly improve the positioning and brand differentials to continue growing.
Also Read: Google My Business: How Can This Tool Help Your Business
