Different: Escaping Mediocrity

be different

There comes a point in time when all business compete for the same thing: sameness.

It shouldn’t be this way, because competing to be the best at what everyone else does leads to mediocrity. On today’s episode we discuss how to escape mediocrity; not mindlessly pursue it.

How do you stop following the herd?

Differentiation begins with nothing more than an idea that it is possible to do things in a fundamentally novel way. It begins with innovation. Put simply, a commitment to differentiation is a commitment to innovation; the conceptual type we must take upon ourselves to birth.

A key point about being different is that differentiation strategies are not driven by formal market research; rather they ignore it. Differentiation is not a tactic, it’s a way of thinking. It’s  mindset. It’s a commitment.

While there are many ways to differentiate a product or service, the bottom line is that difference has to matter; otherwise no one will care. The best way for business to provide value people care about has always been to offer something that is hard to come by. Scarcity always wets demand. That’s how you know that you are truly different.

Here are questions we discussed on this episode:

  • What does it mean to be different?
  • Why be different?
  • How can one be different?
  • Are there strategies to be different?
  • How do you get people to care about your difference?

What do you think it means to be different? What strategies have you used to be different?

Let us know on Twitter @jorgebarba and @adrianpedrin.

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The Big Bang is a weekly podcast. Tune in every Tuesday for more discussions on what’s possible.

Intro audio is by Arturo Arriaga, outro audio is Candyland by Guy J.

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Innovation isn't a job