What Makes You
Different
One of the best questions you can ask yourself in business
is; what makes you different? It really doesn't matter whether we are talking
about your business, or your position within a business. I have been asked many
times to help people with their business, or with their career, and this is
always the first question I ask them. Rarely do I get a cogent answer.
The most common answer is “our company provides the best
quality”, or “I work harder than my peers”. While all that may be true, it
usually isn't a true differentiator. Just about every business thinks they are
different, better, faster, or offer a greater value. The truth though, is that
most people cannot articulate what makes them different, better, faster, or why
their offer provides a greater value. Whether you are an employee or a business
owner, you need to ask yourself this question and give it some serious thought.
If you cannot identify specific metrics that truly separate you from the
competition, then you are going to have a hard time convincing your customers,
or boss, that you are the better choice.
If we take a look at some examples I think my point may
become clear about how to differentiate you, even in a saturated market. In
previous articles I have used the comparison of Best Buy versus Wal-Mart. I
don’t mean to rehash the same point, but I can’t think of a better example when
it comes to two completely different experiences within the same market. So for
my faithful followers, here I go again.
Wal-Mart is a great company who provides a valuable service
to a diverse set of demographics. If you want to but a product and be sure that
you are paying near the lowest price possible, then Wal-Mart is the place for
you. They have massive superstores now that have everything from furniture to
tonight’s dinner. However, it will usually be hard to find a parking space
anywhere near the store, it will be very crowded, and chances are you will not
get a sales person who has a great deal of knowledge about the products you are
considering for purchase. Once you find the product you want, it will take some
time to find someone to pull it from the back for you, and if you are lucky,
they will help you get it to your car. This works great for the frugal buyer
who has no problem getting and loading their own products and already knows
what they want. It is especially a great venue for the buyer who spends weeks
looking up information on the internet deciding what the best product for their
needs is and requires little to no input from a sales person.
Best Buy has a whole different model. They pay their
employees no commission, and make sure that they are very well trained on all
the products they carry. They have wide open spaces with great selections to
choose from, and a salesperson will spend as much time as you need answering
questions and making sure you are paired with the proper product. They will
gladly load that product into your vehicle, and even send someone to your house
to set it up for you if you desire.
So there you have it, two completely different experiences,
in the same retail environment. One is not better than the other, just
different. Each one caters to a different type of client. If you were to ask
Wal-Mart what makes them different, they would more than likely respond, ‘great
value and low prices’, and they would be correct. If you were to ask Best Buy
what makes them different, they would more than likely respond with ‘great
selection and exceptional customer service’, and they too would be correct.
So when you analyze yourself or your business, ask yourself
what makes me/us different? For me, at my office, we have designed innovative
ways to enhance the customer experience. We have used technology to become more
efficient and speed up the service process for our customers. We have also
designed a system to ensure the highest possible quality for every job, every
time. If that wasn’t enough we have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars
to ensure that we have some of the best trained team members in the industry.
While I am not going to reveal all the details, since this is our competitive
advantage, be sure that they are a part of our marketing package when
approaching new customers.
So what makes you different? What can you do that nobody
else can do? If you don’t have that answer, get it! As the economy begins to
recover, the companies and employees that truly set themselves apart will have
an enormous advantage. You need to identify who is your perfect customer and
how can you serve them better than anyone else? If you are an employee, ask
yourself what internal need can I fill and be better than anyone else at
performing? Once you have identified these things you need to plan and develop
internal processes that will set you apart from everyone else. Whether it is
focusing on a specific type of customer, service, or job duty, find something
that you can do that no one else is offering or can’t offer, and then make that
your sole focus. Saying you are better or faster is easy, actually being able
to prove it is a whole different situation. So hurry up and develop what truly
makes you different than your competition!