To Be Seen as Different, You Must Be Different 

Prefer to listen instead of read? No problem! Click below to listen to the blog post. 

In this era of compensation transparency, it is more important than ever to articulate and demonstrate your value proposition. 

Because most of your competitors compete with spreadsheets, capabilities presentations, and promises of better service, most buyers believe “all brokers are the same.” This puts you in the category of being seen as a commodity, even when you’re not. 

Slippery slope 

The commoditization of any product or service often leads to dangerous belief in buyers that the product or service is interchangeable. Your competition will show up, arguing that you are an overpaid commodity and offer to do the job for less, leading to the rapid erosion of bottom lines. 

No, this isn’t a new approach by your competition, but transparency will continue to take it to a whole new level. However, you can remove yourself from the commoditization pool by differentiating yourself and being able to explain how you’re different. 

Here are the keys to differentiation: 

Customer experience 

If you ask 100 agency owners what separates them from their competition, 102 of them 😏 would say, “It’s our service.” Of course, I’m exaggerating, but not by much. 

As important as it is, providing “exceptional” (reactive) service isn’t enough. The first problem with emphasizing “service as a differentiator” is, because of its reactive nature, that you can’t provide this service until something breaks, leaving you associated with nothing but problems.  

The second problem is that, again because of its reactive nature, you can’t demonstrate your value prospect, you can only echo a pathetic, “we provide better service” claim they have heard countless times before. 

You must deliver an experience that measurably improves the business of your clients based on your ability to proactively deliver value to the client. 

Marketing/branding 

Because so many buyers believe “all brokers are the same,” before they can see you as different, you have to tell them what to look for that makes you different. 

If you don’t tell them to expect something different, they will look to prove their stereotype of you as true. Even if you only spent 15% of your meeting time sounding like your competition, that is all they will remember about you. 

However, if your marketing and branding messages emphasize how you are quantifiably different than others, you will plant that seed of expectation. Because they are now expecting it, that is the part of their interaction that will stick, what it is that separates you from others. 

Ideal client focus  

Don’t try to be all things to all buyers. Be selective about whom you’re willing to work with. 

Define your ideal client demographically (size, location, industry, etc.) and psychographically (buying style, seeing you as a vendor or advisor, their sense of responsibility for their employees’ well-being, etc.) and use that as the primary filter in deciding who you want as a client. 

No matter how much value you feel you deliver as an advisor versus a traditional broker, some employers don’t care. All they are looking for is someone to get quotes and fix problems. If you chase the wrong type of buyer, you will quickly lose belief in the value of what makes you different. 

How vs. what 

Nobody cares what you have to sell until they understand how it may be a solution to a problem that’s holding them back. 

Chances are that your competition has the exact same products/solutions (the “what” part of the sales equation) to offer as you. If they don’t today, they will tomorrow. Thinking you will impress a buyer with a capabilities presentation does nothing more than reinforce their belief that you are like every other broker. 

Instead, focus on the problems you solve and, more importantly, HOW you determine if any particular buyer has any of those problems. Most importantly, also explain HOW you have solved those problems for others like them. 

How you evaluate client needs and deliver solutions is much more of a meaningful and sustainable differentiator than what products you offer will ever be. 

And don’t forget this critical last step:  

Articulate your value proposition 

Never assume the buyer will figure this out on their own; most won’t. You must be able to clearly state what your buyers get as a result of working with you. When you tell them what to look for, it’s much easier for them to recognize it when they see it. 

Defining your value proposition isn’t easy, but it’s critical. As I hope you know by now, ours at Q4intelligence is to, “help our clients create more targeted opportunities, close more deals, and operate more efficiently around the resulting clients.” 

Q4i and Goose can help    

We have built an online platform called "Goose: Your Ultimate Wingman" to help you implement these types of growth ideas. In it, you will find the business tools you need to avoid the commoditization pool: tracking tools, training programs, peer community, access to coaching, and marketing assistance.   

To learn how Goose may help drive your growth in 2025, check out our website at Q4intel.com/goose. Or feel free to connect with or contact me directly on LinkedIn.