Marketing differentiation – stand out from the crowd

In many professional firms your service offering can be perceived as being the same as any other in your sector. As a result it can seem difficult to identify ways in which you stand out.

Let marketing come to the rescue!

Very often firms fail to use their marketing activities to highlight their strengths, because they see what they do as being obvious. The statement, “surely everyone knows we do that?” is commonly heard when I’m conducting marketing strategy reviews. But if you don’t tell people how you can help them, what makes you different and why they should contact you, the chances are they never will get in touch.

How to differentiate your marketing

How you package and market your firm can make a big difference to how you stand out from the competition, so consider some of the following points in your marketing activities:

  • How you deliver your service – do you offer something different to your competitors? If so, make this a feature on your marketing materials and how it is a benefit to your clients.
  • Your image – take a long hard look at your branding. How do you come across on your website, brochures, newsletters, etc.? Quite often there can be a mismatch between the type of firm you think you are and the type of firm that comes across in your marketing activities, i.e. you say that you’re ‘proactive’ and a ‘leading expert’ in your sector, yet your website shows out of date information.
  • Sharing knowledge – don’t just list the services you offer on your website or social media pages, use this platform to demonstrate your expertise and how you can help clients. Sharing your thoughts on the latest regulations, technology or trend which is going to affect your clients (or prospective clients) helps to develop your reputation for being an expert in that field, as well as being seen to be proactive and helpful.
  • Case studies – one of the best ways of communicating your strengths and expertise is by demonstrating what you have achieved for your clients. A client case study can showcase a particular service you offer or perhaps a niche sector you are familiar with. Such documents help to communicate what it is you’ve done differently, but from the client’s perspective, which gives it much more credibility.
  • Adding value – it is not sufficient to rely on clients coming to you because you’re friendly and helpful – no one is going to promote themselves as being unfriendly and unhelpful! You have to set out what it is that makes you different and how you add value to the client experience.

In summary, when it comes to differentiating your firm, don’t be the ‘best kept secret’. Be proud of what you do, spell it out across all your marketing activities so that it is clear why you’re different, but most importantly – make sure you deliver what you promise.

 

BRINGING MOMENTUM TO YOUR MARKETING

FROM MARKETING CONSULTANCY TO WRITING KEY MARKETING PIECES TO PROMOTE WHAT YOU DO, I CAN MAKE YOUR MARKETING HAPPEN.