Brand differentiation is the business development subject of the discussion today. It is one of the most poorly understood pillars of professional services marketing. A surprising number of executives and marketers believe that it’s simply not possible to differentiate firms that offer similar services to similar clientele.In fact, this way of looking at the marketplace is the very reason that differentiating your firm is essential.

Differentiation is not about being different for sake of being different. It’s about helping your audience make smarter, easier, more confident buying decisions.

Finding a differentiator for your professional services firm is not an easy task. Many firms struggle mightily only to come up with a differentiator that doesn’t really differentiate them at all.

A differentiator is a characteristic of your firm that separates you from key competitors and gives you a perceived advantage in the eyes of your target audience.

Have you been competing for work that you are more than qualified to perform, only to be underbid by your competition? Or maybe you have been the one underbidding, which leaves you with paper-thin margins and stalled growth.

If you want to stop competing on price alone, it may be time to develop a stronger differentiation strategy.