How Are You Different?

Everyone’s unique. Everyone’s different … or are they?

How about you?

This is one of the most basic marketing premises: differentiation. You and your competitor might sell widgets but how is your product different than theirs? How can the consumer or customer distinguish your widget from countless other widgets on the market?

I am reminded of the importance of differentiation with the new match.com commercials. Have you seen them? Wow, they really do such a great job in distinguishing their online dating service from one of their top competitors: e-Harmony.com.

Previous match.com commercials didn’t do as good a job drawing the lines of distinction. In fact, I would have to say that e-Harmony had done a much better job, referring to themselves as “more than just a paragraph with a picture.”

But now, match.com’s new commercials really push back and highlight their Unique Selling Point (USP) very well.

e-Harmony positions its online dating service as one for those who seek a lifelong companion; they’re matchmaking capabilities indicate you’ll be matched with someone based on “27 dimensions of compatibility.” Clearly, someone who’s looking for a hot date or one-night stand may not bother with e-Harmony because this service, as the commercials so vividly reflect, is for serious couples and for those possibly contemplating marriage.

In the past few weeks, match.com has come out with “The Beginning” commericals showing folks at the beginning of a date or at the very early stages of what could potentially become “a relationship.” Very smart. They don’t emphasize 27 dimensions of compatibility nor do they focus on couples sharing their love success stories or marriage plans as does e-Harmony. They actually have “dumbed down” love and relationships by focusing on the intial spark or attraction one may feel or experience during their first date.

At the end of the day, these are both online dating services but now, the distinction between the two could not be more clear. Those seeking long term relationships and the possibility of matrimony will opt for e-Harmony. Those seeking companionship or the dating route might choose match.com.

The two services have clear lines of differentiation even though they are built upon the same premise: online matchmaking. Makes you kinda wonder about your own differentiation. What are YOU doing to distinguish yourself from your competition? How are you positioning your business or your brand to be recognizably different from those who similiar product or service offerings?

Mayra Ruiz Mcpherson

Brand Journalist and Digital Strategist Mayra Ruiz-McPherson is founder of Ruiz McPherson Communications (RMC), a marketing ingenuity practice based in Herndon, Virginia. Mayra — who also founded and launched the online career community SocialMediaJobsDC.com — often presents various digital and social media-focused topics tailored to business owners and senior-level marketing managers. She also instructs a number of courses, workshops and training sessions as well as provides private, on-site training on social media tools and strategies.

In between professional engagements, Mayra guest blogs and contributes content regularly to a number of publications both in and outside the Washington DC metro area. Mayra is also the editor of The Better Social Business Blog, "Pet Tech" columnist for the Virginia Maryland Dog Magazine, contributes an “e-Trends” column to the Loudoun Business Journal and is founder of the Loudoun Fairfax Local Bloggers Meetup group which mentors and helps local bloggers network, learn and exchange ideas.