Flipping differentiation
Does your brand need to differentiate to succeed?
Brand and marketing people may agree. Me too. But until recently, I've given it some real thought. I don't see many differentiators, I see a lot of sameness with a few that stand out, but that won't necessarily stand out for you.
Differentiation sounds like a cool word but really it's just a brand buzzword to:
draw an imaginary line from competitors.
make customers think you are different by saying "we're a different type of brand".
Here is what I would focus on if not to join the millions of other brands that are all so different. Same. Different. Same. Different. FFS.
Let's start by saying a brand is a "value perception".
When a customer gives a shit about your business idea they (customers) recognise the value perception.
So, we create a value perception.
How do you create a value perception?
"Define a business idea and what that means to customers".
When you understand this. You do this:
Align your idea to customers needs.
Create insights and attributes list.
Create and break down traits and profiles.
Segment and define the core insight/words.
Create a value proposition statement.
Use VP to validate and refine creative direction.
The sooner you can create a value perception, the sooner people (customers) see your business idea as clear as flipping rain!
Plus, the creative direction becomes less risky when you do the homework.
Plus, plus, you get decent ammo of insights and data to get creative.
Plus plus plus, you will feel good about the outcome.
When you have done your homework, it makes the VP sound and feel right and leads to a stronger creative direction that NEVER looks the same as the others.
I believe the trick with differentiation isn't to find what makes you the difference. Everybody’s strives in their way. It is to ask yourselves "what makes me the same".
When you list and define that, you lead with a difference. Capeesh?
Just remember. Trust is what prompts people to make buying choices and engage you and your brand, time and again. TRUST. That's something to believe in and tells me not to screw it up by trying to make you or your brand look like something it is not.
To sum up:
"Differentiation" is acting like a clown on stage because you really want people to buy into your achievement but really you can’t wait to get the fuck off stage.
I hope you see the difference.