What makes you different?

Everyone is shouting at the same time, often saying similar things in similar ways. Mimicry is no longer the greatest compliment but has become an existential theft. So how do you get heard and noticed? How do you tell your story in a way that is memorable and compelling?

Focus on the things that make you different.

But first why some things don’t make you different.

AI is not a differentiator.

AI is a tempting differentiator. It’s cutting edge. It’s exciting. It’s opened doorways and portals to things we couldn’t dream of a few years ago. Many of the AI solutions are dressed up API calls to someone else’s flagship model.

Maybe you throw in some RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) to make your solution more customizable but as any company tallied in OpenAI’s death toll can you, you’re only as secure as the next ChatGPT release. Frankly, hitting an API isn’t defensible.

Technology (probably) isn’t a differentiator.

It’s easy to love your tech. Whether it’s your technology stack, your software, or the product you’ve built it’s natural to want people to know how clever you are. The thing is, most people don’t care how clever you are. They want to know what problem you solve and how it helps them. What are the results of your product?

Price isn’t a differentiator.

Being the most expensive can be equated with poorly made. Premium can be seen as a barrier. Premium or expensive can mean complex, bloated, or unruly. Worst of all, pricing terminology is subjective and comparative. Expensive to whom? And if you’re fighting for least expensive, that’s just a race to the bottom. It’s as firm as your competitor’s next sale.

So how do you stand out in a crowded marketplace with everyone bragging about the same things?

Take a sober evaluation of what you offer. Look at what your competitors say they do and what they say about you. Dig into the benefits of your product, not just the features. What value do you bring that others do not? The best differentiators are rooted in your unique purpose, your specific audience, and your unique brand story.

Are you too close to your product to be able to answer the above questions?

Start to stand out with an expert, unbiased evaluation with Vergency Brand & Design to gain clarity and stay focused on what makes your brand unique.