Even as marketers, the team at our Florida marketing agency knows we’re also consumers. Each day, we face hundreds of choices as to where to eat, where to shop, and which brand of soda to buy. Giving your money to one brand is, essentially, giving your support to that brand to keep doing what they’re doing. Particularly, in the case of a repeat purchase, you’re telling the brand you’re satisfied with the product and have returned to using it again.

But, what is it that drives you to that decision to support that brand? Often, it’s convenience, like when I’m on the road, starving, yet the only restaurant around is that McDonald’s just off the highway. However, typically people have more options. Instead of going to the Publix down the street, you could drive a bit further to Fresh Market, where you know you’ll be welcomed by a team of happy people serving fee samples, and will have the opportunity to purchase healthier foods that you might not get from a competing store down the street.

Or, maybe you like Fresh Market, but you know you can get a much better deal from Winn Dixie down the street. It may not be as fancy, but you know their deli meat prices are unbeatable. In this case, Winn Dixie can differentiate itself based on cost.

Many times, business owners and marketers fail to recognize the importance of differentiation. Differentiation is a key aspect of effectively marketing a business. It is what tells people why you’re superior to other businesses and competitors in the space. If you can’t beat other businesses based on cost, then perhaps you can beat them based on luxury, convenience or customer service.

Differentiation is the process of standing out in some way. If there are a million others just like you, there’s not much to make you stand out. But, if there’s some way you can distinguish yourself from others, you can beat out competitors by being the best at whatever that is. It’s okay if your brand can’t beat others in every category… it’s a matter of finding the one that’s right for you, and committing to being the best within that space.

Take, for example, Ethica, a grassroots business dedicated to women’s apparel. If the business were limited to just that, they wouldn’t stand a chance against larger retailers that can make clothes cheaper using factory laborers. But, that’s just it. Ethica’s founders decided to adopt a social good initiative, allowing them to only carry clothing and accessories that they can verify is created ethically. Because of that, they’ve garnered attention from some of the leading fashion publications in the United States. Differentiation is key in the company’s success.

You can see many examples of differentiation in the choices you make every day. I tend to spend more money on my favorite brand of tissue, but I’ll forsake quality for price when it comes to kitchen needs, like plastic wrap or aluminum foil.Everyone has preferences, so for marketers it’s often just a matter of delving into those specific preferences.

When thinking about your business, ask yourself how you are differentiating your business. If you can’t think of anything, then start today by emphasizing your strengths, and working to design campaigns around those differentiators. The team at our Orlando ad agency guarantees that focusing on differentiators will bring results. Contact us today to get started setting your company apart.