May 10, 2009

The ‘Only’ Statement: The Birth of Differentiation

Probably one of the most critical BE DiFFERENT practices I discuss in my book is the only statement.

It says that your quest to BE DiFFERENT has the objective of defining in very precise terms how your organization is unique relative your competition. Clearly if you are the only one that provides specific value to your target customer, your chances of success are significant in comparison to a firm that provides what I call ‘common value’ - value that is very similar if not identical to others - and has to use price as the gimmick to attract customers.

Here are two examples that I discovered while I was doing research for my book.

‘Unlike job boards, TheJobMagnet is the only pay-for-performance interactive recruiting service that goes where the candidates are, instead of making them find us. Our complete line of interactive candidate sourcing services addresses your recruiting needs, while our success-based pricing ensures you only ever pay for performance, not promises.’

‘AM 730, All Traffic All the Time. AM 730 Vancouver’s Traffic Station is the only station providing traffic twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.’

Developing the only statement for your organization is not a task for the faint of heart. It is very challenging and exhaustive process and you may not get it done! Or it may take you weeks to finally get it right. Stay with it though and it will be well worth it.

And don’t get memorised with your work. Make sure you go test it with your customers to make sure that the value you have chosen in your only statement is both compelling to the customer (it addresses a real high priority need) and it is real (they believe that you deliver it). If you don’t get a thumbs-up on both counts go back to square one and begin your work again.

Look in every nook and cranny in your organization to find only value. Some companies like ARA Safety of Vancouver chose a product, Marriott International Hotels chose their ‘Spirit to Serve’ while Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario chose providing personal coaching to meet the special needs of each student.

Take the BE DiFFERENT Quiz and test if you’re on the right track.
Seen good examples of the only statement? Send them along to me.

One of the most effective leaders today in the personal networking space Darcy Rezac, Chief Engagement Officer of the Vancouver Board of Trade, highlights the use of the only statement in telling people what you do in a way that captures a uniqueness that you possess. His Positive Networking Networking Tip of the Week expresses it nicely. More pearls of wisdom on how you can increase your network and enhance your career can be found in his BE DiFFERENT book Work the Pond.

Cheers, Roy Osing

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Posted 5.10.09 at 01:30 pm by Roy Osing | Read Comments (0) | Leave a Comment