I spent part of the day yesterday speaking with a new client about differentiation. The client owns a restaurant in a category that’s very cluttered with competitors all saying the same thing: FRESH!

 

We started the conversation by reviewing what has been a frustrating year for the poor guy. Somewhere along the line he learned about the need to differentiate. If you don’t offer something that stands out from the competition, they win. There’s only one problem: customers who buy the food he serves are all looking for the same thing. They want the food fresh, fresh, fresh! Every single competitor knows that, so they’re all shouting FRESH! at the top of their lungs.

 

So, determined to be different, my new friend spent the past couple of years searching for something different to promote. He talked about individual menu items. He talked about menu variety and value. He redecorated and talked about that. His market wasn’t convinced.

 

I did some research before our first meeting to learn how his market defines “fresh.” Their buying habits suggested quite a few approaches that no one in the market had tried before. Interesting, but I still needed to overcome a strong, strong attachment to one understanding of differentiation.

 

We’re all limited by our understanding and perspective. Sometimes all it takes is a little perspective and a more specialized understanding. I started the meeting by asking a question. “So, Jack, if a customer comes in and asks for your most popular dish, do you tell your staff to try and talk them out of it?” Duh.

 

I think we’re on the right track now. Jack (and you know who you are) understands the you don’t differentiate by advertising something that’s not in demand. What you do is advertise what customers want (just like the other guys) but you do it in new, creative ways that make them see the subject in a new way.

 

It was a very good day.