Cut Through the Clutter: Define Your 3 Uniques
If you stand your business up next to your competitors, what do you see? Do you see a row of companies all offering the same thing, using the same language, making the same claims? If you do, so do your current and prospective customers.
How do you make your business pop out of that lineup so that customers say, “One of these things is not like the other?”
What you need customers to see is your uniqueness. Sometimes called your “market differentiators” or your “value proposition,” you need to have a few special, distinct features or offerings that nobody else can deliver. When you have clearly defined three of these “Uniques,” they can guide all of your customer conversations and all your work.
Once again, what we’re working to help you create here is laser-sharp focus. Why? The most common mistake entrepreneurs make when trying to break into a market is spreading themselves too thin, trying to be everything to everyone. If you do that, you won’t do anything really well — and you won’t be unique.
If you understand your “Three Uniques,” you’ll quickly discover you can target the customers who want exactly what you have to offer. Southwest Airlines is a good example of a company that knows the unique offerings their target clients want. They offer a very specific product: a seat on a plane with no luggage fee — and nothing else. As a result, the company doesn’t appeal to everyone, but they have no trouble filling their planes and making a profit.
Another good example of a company that has defined its unique value is Evernote. The company set out with a simple mission: Help the world remember everything and get things done. The company offers a collection of apps that make it easy to save thoughts and ideas, preserve experiences, and work efficiently.
Once you have this level of focus, you’ll find a new level of clarity and liberation because you won’t be confused or distracted by customers that do not fit your target. Instead, you’ll have far greater — and faster — traction with those ideal clients.
Steps to identify your Three Uniques
- Interview your customers. You can use a phone call or an email form, but do whatever you must to find out why they do business with you and what they believe makes your business unique.
- Ask what problems you solve really well.
- Ask what solutions you deliver uniquely well.
- Gather your sales and leadership teams, and ask them to answer the same questions your customers did.
- Match your customer data with your team data, and get a complete list of unique characteristics on the table from all sources.
- Narrow the list to the three-most unique characteristics. This will take some time and discussion, but the effort is worth it.
Check the competition
How do you know you got your Three Uniques just right?
Line yourself up with your key competitors again. You may find that your business shares one or maybe two Uniques with some of them, but you should never share all three qualities. No other business should look just like yours.
Many businesses get off track and lose traction at a critical time in their business growth. Veering from the defined path causes distraction and confusion for your team and your customers. Whether you’re starting up or reinventing your company, identifying your Three Uniques will help build your brand and reputation, and get you started on the path to success.
[cta]Get help: Contact Financial Gravity at (469) 342-9100, by email, or through our contact page.[/cta]
