Comments on: Vive la Différence!

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:20:59 +0000

Justin,

Vertical markets are correct, but call them new Revenue Streams and watch their eyes light up.

Nice perspective with empathy – I’ll use that one, thanks.

By: Justin D. Morrow

Justin D. Morrow — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 20:56:56 +0000

Ed:

We call those vertical markets in the firm that I work for, we like to think of Branding as empathy: seeing your product and company from another person’s point of view

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:31:21 +0000

hikdis57,

Thanks for your perspective. For everyone reading, what is the SEO software you mentioned?

Merry Christmeas to you also, it certainly is coming up fast.

By: hikdis57 (Over Googled)

hikdis57 (Over Googled) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 20:25:45 +0000

I certainly agree with you on having to be unique in branding your business. I certainly could be the difference in surviving the Internet and/or the real world of business!

However, a neat little lesson I learned while using the SEO software by James Brausch was that I can also optimize my site, blog, and product by optimizing my branding to stay in sync with my business goals.

Anyway, I certainly enjoyed your perspective. I’ll be sending this link to my own readership.

Again, thank you for your insight.

Merry Christmas!

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:18:57 +0000

Great idea Andrey – Leverage their influence to your mutual benefits.

By: AndreyM

AndreyM — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:15:31 +0000

A good way to increase your profit in the future is using a partner relationships marketing, that brings a lot of advantages as for partners and for the company itself

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:46:14 +0000

Simon,

Yes it is sad that good customer service is a differentiator, but let’s go one better and offer exceptional customer service – making it absolutely compelling!

As they say good isn’t good enough.

By: Simon Smith

Simon Smith — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:58:50 +0000

You’ve hit the nail right on the head! The most important thing is to create a unique business idea. It’s sad to think that it might be unique just to offer good customer service! Brausch helped me out a lot in the past with my business.

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 01:06:36 +0000

Nesh,

In cases where a company finds it difficult to differentiate, I would suggest developing a “differentiator” that may even provide them with a new revenue stream. In doing this they may even re-define their category. Typically I find that a company’s potential to differentiate is buried in their current activities that involve service, product and satisfaction.

As far as imitation goes – eventually anything can be copied. It is important to be first to market and to present a differentiator that will force the competition to play follow the leader – YOU. Would you not agree that in industries that appear to have little to differentiate, all the players are telling essentially the same story? You could take all their logos and shuffle them up and distribute them randomly among all the marketing materials and it really wouldn’t matter. For me this situation, helps to make the job of differentiation a little easier.

By: nesh thompson

nesh thompson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:09:39 +0000

Hi Ed, absolutely agree on differentiating from the competition. In fact I think that many companies take this very seriously, sometimes to their detriment.

I think that in some marketing sectors there is so little to differentiate and so much competition that there is likely to be a situation where there is little to compel a unique brand that competitors aren’t going to imitate. In some circumstances the clear striving for unique branding can alienate from the real goals of the business ie. to develop good customer service, product and satisfaction.