Field notes: differentiation

In almost all instances of working with B2B brands over 20+ years, businesses say they’re different. In reality and, critically, through the lens of their audience, very few actually are. The reason usually isn’t a lack of ambition; it’s often either a lack of appetite to rock the boat of industry norms, choosing mid-ground comfort, or a misunderstanding of what differentiation actually means and why it matters.

It doesn’t mean doing something no one else does. In most market cases, that’s simply impractical. Your competitors will all (guaranteed) say they offer one of quality, reliability, passion, expertise, professionalism and partnership… etc. etc., blah blah blah. And you do too. You have to, right? But, be honest, is it just paying lip service? They’re all valueless baselines, taken as a given by your customers. Hanging your brand hat on any of those things makes it easy for competitors to move ahead if they choose to seize the initiative and change lanes, leaving you vulnerable and in their wake. Maybe you’re saying you’re premium? It’s not enough and means entirely different things to different people. You need to look beyond these casual clichés. Instead, plant your flag on a mountain you call your own.

Differentiation lives in the space between what the market treats as standard and what you genuinely do better; your value and your values; and, more critically, your ‘how’. That last part gets overlooked.

The ‘what’ is often comparable. The ‘how’: your process, your people, the experience of working with you, is almost always distinctive. It’s just rarely noticed day-to-day, much less articulated and put to work.

When we work with companies on this, we ask loads of questions designed to prompt discussion, but what we’re really looking for is the anecdotal and the throw-away comments; the things people in the room mention unprompted as proof points and in-betweeners. The result is a liveable idea to rally behind with consensus, gusto, and heart. This pearl of truth is so often discovered buried in stakeholder interviews or by open forum workshop sessions. We’ve become very good listeners.

The gap can be found anywhere – reasons people have stuck around; a certain viewpoint or team ethos; instances that stoke pride; enduring client relationships; times the team has collectively risen to meet challenges. AI can’t help here, by the way.

When we worked with cyber security experts Copper Horse, it was revealed in a conversation during discovery sessions that they’d advised governments on policy. So, where others simply adhered to preset industry standards, the Copper Horse team had, quite literally, been instrumental in setting them. In “Setting the Standards”, we were able to frame a point of difference they legitimately already owned, without realising it. We helped them plant their flag on a mountain previously shrouded in cloud. Together, we’d defined an unarguable position as the authority.

Similarly, contract electrical manufacturers Axiom revealed that the percentage of engineers on staff was significantly higher than the sector norm. They saw themselves as problem-solvers before manufacturers. So, where others talked vaguely about service, quality and other generics, Axiom’s truth gave rise to “Make Possible” – a brand narrative centred on imagination and creativity in partnership that nobody else in their space could credibly claim. With the strategy in place, the visual followed easily after. Now the competition is playing brand catch-up as Axiom sets the benchmark.

In both instances, we found an angle that wasn’t obvious but had always been there. We unlocked a focal point they could truly own, built around a single core idea: differentiated and demonstrable. Most importantly, it provides customers and prospects alike a lens through which to understand the value.

It’s an investigation that delivers real ROI. When customers are able to see you the way you see yourselves, your differentiation becomes tangible and pronounced, opening doors, driving loyalty, and creating the foundations of a truly distinctive brand. A genuine competitive advantage.

Ready to work together to raise your brand? Get in touch now.