Ask a founder, “What makes your firm different?” and you’ll often get a polite non-answer. “Our people.” “Our approach.” “We really care about our clients.” “We’re relationship-driven.”
All of it may be true. It’s also what the firm down the street says, and the one after that. When everyone is “client-focused,” nobody is.
In a previous recent article, we talked about getting your brand’s positioning statement right before doing anything else. One of the questions on that list is how you do what you do differently than anyone else. It’s the one people skip. So let’s take it on.
Good is the price of admission
Most prospects assume you’re competent. Of course you are, or you wouldn’t be in front of them. What they’re really trying to figure out is why they should choose you over the other competent firms on their list.
If you can’t answer that clearly, the decision tends to come down to price, proximity, or who they already know. Firms that look interchangeable get treated that way.
Being different also makes you easier to remember and easier to refer. A referral needs a sentence someone can repeat: “You should call them. They’re the ones who…” If your clients can’t finish that sentence, they’ll struggle to send you business, even when they’re happy with your work. And for firms that sell expertise, difference is less about features and more about how you think.
Different doesn’t mean louder
What is a differentiator? It’s not a gimmick, an edgy tagline, or a longer list of services. In fact, adding more often blurs the picture. A differentiator is what truly sets you apart.
A real differentiator passes three tests:
- Is it true? Could you prove it?
- Is it specific? Would a competitor sign the same sentence?
- Does it matter to the client you want? A difference nobody cares about is just trivia.
Where real differences hide
Most firms are different in ways they’ve stopped noticing. A few places to look:
How you work. Your process, your pace, who actually does the work. An accounting firm that meets with every client quarterly, not just at tax time, has a difference worth saying out loud.
What you believe. A point of view about your field that you’d defend. An HR consultant who believes small companies need a few policies done well, rather than a 90-page handbook nobody reads, is telling you something about how she thinks.
Who you choose to serve. Specializing is one of the strongest differentiators, and one of the most feared. An IT firm that works only with law firms is easy to remember, and easy to refer.
What clients say without being asked. Look for the phrases that keep showing up in testimonials, thank-you notes, and referrals. They often describe your difference better than you can.
Some ways to get there
- Ask your three best clients: “Why did you choose us, and why have you stayed?” Their words are usually better than yours.
- Look at your last three wins and last three losses. What did the wins have in common?
- Read five competitors’ websites and highlight any sentence that could appear on yours. If it could, it isn’t a differentiator.
- Finish this sentence: “Unlike other [type of firm], we ___.” Then run your answer through the three tests above.
Be honest, and be kind
Standing apart doesn’t mean being better than everyone, and it doesn’t mean putting anyone down. A confident difference doesn’t need a comparison. It simply says what you do and who it’s for.
It does take some courage. Choosing a difference means some prospects won’t be the right fit. That’s useful, because it saves everyone time and brings you more of the clients you do your best work for.
Before and after
Here’s what the shift looks like. Before: “We provide strategic financial guidance to growing businesses.”
After: “We’re the outside CFO for owner-led companies preparing to sell, so you’re ready before a buyer asks.”
The second version names who it’s for, what changes, and why you’d choose it. It also sounds like a person, not a brochure.
Start with how you think
Your difference is probably already there. It’s in the way you work, what you believe, and what your best clients say about you. The job is to find it, say it plainly, and say it the same way everywhere.
Start with how you think. Be specific. Be genuine, and unmistakably you. That’s the foundation of a brand worth building.
If you’d like help finding and putting into words what makes your firm different, reach out to insight180. With more than 25 years in the branding business, we make the process painless, productive, and, some say, pleasant.
insight180 is a brand advisory firm helping purpose-driven organizations clarify who they are, stand apart in crowded markets, and align strategy, messaging, and identity to support growth and long-term value. We’d love to help you build yours.
— Wendy Baird, president and brand strategist
insight180 is a brand advisory firm helping purpose-driven organizations clarify who they are, stand apart in crowded markets, and align strategy, messaging, and identity to support growth and long-term value. We’d love to help you build yours.
— Wendy Baird, president and brand strategist
