3 of 6 |  Six Key Factors for a Successful Launch

In this commoditized world, companies must differentiate how they communicate what they offer or change the offering altogether to win. Differentiate communications: Use your unique voice, simplify complex subject matter, find a relevant standard of identity or even create a new category. Change the game: Deliver, from the outset, a distinct unfair advantage competitors can’t easily replicate.

Further Thoughts:

The remarkable 10%. No matter what you are introducing, there is someone who’s gone before you, opened the doors, set the strategies and provided the mental framework for you to leverage. That’s important because people must associate your offering with a standard of identity. So, for 90% of your strategy, it’s perfectly fine to follow. In fact, it’s preferable. The other 10% is your opportunity to do the opposite—to be remarkably, outrageously unique.

Find your voice. How you communicate your message is just as important as the message itself. One of the most overlooked aspects of differentiated communication is voice. Your attitude, your tone and the language you use can be a real differentiator—and a unifying force in your marketing communications. How you say what you say can make all the difference in the world.

Technology ≠ Innovation. It’s one thing to differentiate how you communicate and engage your audiences, quite another to change the game. Today, “innovation” has become an imperative strategy on the minds and in the boardrooms of most organizations. Still, so many companies equate innovation with technology alone. According to a 2006 MIT Sloan Management Review article, “The 12 Different Ways for Companies to Innovate,” there are actually 12 different aspects that a company can look at when trying to innovate. Consider the 12 dimensions and look closely at how each one could apply to differentiating your company, product or service.