Opinion - the Bluedge blog
Developing a Point of Difference
Posted by Jayne Espley, May 2008
It’s an interesting phrase when you really sit down and think about it; ‘point of difference’. On the one hand it’s an obvious thought, classically simple marketing logic, on the other hand it’s a bit like the tip of an iceberg; there’s such a huge array of options and considerations lurking beneath its surface and some of them will never see the light of day. The important thing is knowing that they’re there and making sure that your clients are aware of them.
We’re going to try to clarify that a little and just cover off some of the other factors you should, at least, bear in mind and, at best, positively address in driving towards that goal of being a TRUSTED PARTNER to your clients.
You’re in a mammoth industry: software and services in the UK today is estimated to be a £26 billion market. Firstly, that means that there’s an enormous amount of opportunity out there but, secondly, it means there’s absolutely no shortage of competition.
Winning new business isn’t easy; there’ll nearly always be another company out there, just like yours, prepared to drop right in under the radar, offering cheaper fees, faster turnaround, more services for less, and whatever other enticements they can devise to grab business opportunistically. (Let’s face it, you might even have done it yourself, in which case you may well have discovered that it’s a tactical and short-term approach; you might get your foot in the door but it would be for all the wrong reasons and you end up creating a framework for a new relationship based on factors that won’t enhance long-term client development).
BEAUTY’S ONLY SKIN DEEP
Creating a point of difference goes deeper than the price-list and the timeline. In our business, it addresses the whole ethos of your company. We recommend you establish your point of difference .. one that supports the building of trust .. and one that resonates with your clients and prospects alike. Keep building trust, that’s our mantra…build that trust.
By the way - I put my hand up here - if you’re not thinking about implementing change, then think again. Companies that aren’t constantly evolving and improving, being dynamic about everything they do and making sure that everybody gets to hear about it…those companies are back-sliding, maybe a slow process but it’s a sure one…you won’t have to count them amongst the competition.
So continuing with this theme of establishing your point of difference, we would like you to consider undertaking a ‘Perceptions Audit’ for your company (we’ll be suggesting practical projects in forthcoming Blogs; ideas that won’t necessarily be too consuming or costly, but will produce practical results that you can act on… and you can always contact us if you want to chat about anything you read in the Blogs; no obligation, just let us know what’s on your mind).
PERCEPTIONS AUDIT
Sounds grander than it is. It’s really about finding out what your clients think about you and what is important to them about the service you offer. Don’t forget that everyone likes to offer their opinion and also, if your clients see you undertaking a perceptions audit it also somehow enhances their perceptions of you, because everyone likes to work with a company that really thinks about how it works and the services it offers; it also shows that you value their opinions.
So we would recommend you develop a structured questionnaire which covers aspects like your product and service offerings, your industry and technical know how, general perceptions of what your clients think you do and how they consider the value of what you do.
You may learn some new insight.
You’re about to create a point of difference.
Good luck.
