Posted on Mar 25, 2013

The Value of Distinctiveness in Marketing

The value of distinctiveness means standing out as being better due to a specific feature; differentiation.

Marketing Questions:

What makes your organization unique?
What is the one thing that is most relevant to your key customers?
What do you want your organization to be known for?

The Discipline of Distinctiveness

In marketing, distinctiveness can create a competitive advantage.

There is tremendous power in knowing what is truly unique to your organization, relevant to your key customers, and is sustainable over time. In addition, your distinctiveness needs to be explicitly understood by your employees and shareholders, and implicitly understood by your customers.

Consider the following brands, and their distinctive promise of value:

3M = Innovation
Coca Cola = Happiness
Disney = Magic
Facebook = Social
Volvo = Safety

How do we know this? These brands have articulated these values through both their communications and actions. As consumers, we instinctively know them.

Is it easy to identify what is distinctive to an organization or brand? Sadly, no. But as the firms listed above have demonstrated, it is possible.

It requires leadership, effort, a proven process, and discipline.

A place to start is by defining your differentiating values. Engage members of your team to help you. Don’t rush the process. Be disciplined, and in time you will find what is truly distinctive to your brand.