Don’t Try to Fit In—Find Out What Makes You Stand Out

We recently went through a branding project with a client in the tech industry, whose tablet-based application boasted extreme ease of use and accessibility. The client was adamant about establishing ‘usability’ as a core component of its brand. We’ve heard this argument before, especially from clients in the tech space who feel the need to focus on their product’s ‘bells and whistles’, rather than the actual benefits to clients. While usability can play an important role in the lower level messaging behind a brand; it does not elevate the brand to a higher level amongst competitors. After all, if a product was not easy to use, why would a prospect purchase it at all?

We encouraged the company to focus on that which made the company, and its product, truly unique – that value proposition that was most meaningful to prospects and that only they could credibly claim. Through research, including interviews with existing clients to better understand their perspective on the product and the firm, we were able to uncover a much more compelling benefit of the product that provided the foundation for a truly differentiated brand: the use of this product allowed clients to have full control over their marketing and sales program – they were able to measure and manage their success because the product made them more efficient, more prepared, and on top of that—it was backed by great service. These are strong differentiators to build a brand around. It turned out that while the usability of the product was highly valued, it was simply a positive addition to a product that was strong and effective on many other levels.

Focusing on the unique benefits of your product or service, the things that make your company and your offering stand out, are critical to establishing a distinct place for your firm within a competitive market and creating a resilient brand that can endure and grow with the company.