WHAT EXPERIENCES ARE YOU CREATING AND

HOW TO ASSESS SUCCESS

OVERVIEW

• IDENTIFY WHAT IS A “POINT OF DIFFERENCE”• LEARN HOW TO CREATE A “POINT OF DIFFERENCE”• LEARN WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS THINK• BUILD YOUR “POINT OF DIFFERENCE” INTO YOUR

MARKETING• IDENTITY METHODS TO ASSESS THE EXPEREINCES

DEFINING A “POINT OF DIFFERENCE”

• SIMPLE DEFINITION– SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FROM

YOUR COMPETITION AND SOMETHING YOUR CUSTOMER(S) ACTUALLY WANT

– IT INCLUDES HOW YOU POSITION YOURSELF IN THE MARKET

• POINT OF DIFFERENCE IS A TERM USED FOR AN OUTCOME OF PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION

DIFFERENTIATION IS THE POSITIVE WAY YOUSTAND OUT FROM YOUR COMPETITORS

POINTS OF DIFFERENCE (PODs) ARE THE INDIVIDUAL FACTORS OF DIFFERENTIATION

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

• BECAUSE IT’S WHY SOMEONE WILL CHOOSE YOU OVER THE COMPETION– MANY CHOICES TODAY AND PEOPLE GET

CONFUSED– YOU WANT TO STAND OUT

• POINT OF DIFFERENCE– UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION OR UNIQUE

SELLING POINT (USP)– SHOULD BE KEY BENEFIT(S) YOU WANT

ASSOCIATED WITH YOU– THE BENEFIT CAN BE RATIONAL, EMOTIONAL

OR A COMBINATION– POD PROVIDES A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER

OPPORTUNITY TO BREAK THROUGH TO THE AUDIENCE AND BE REMEMBERED

• POINTS OF DIFFERENCE – MUST BE ATTRIBUTES OR BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE

STRONGLY, UNIQUELY, AND POSITIVELY ASSOCIATE WITH YOU AND YOUR BRAND

– THESE NEED TO BE CLEARLY AND REPEATEDLY COMMUNICATED TO YOUR AUDIENCE

– THESE BUILD CUSTOMER LOYALTY

A GREAT POINT OF DIFFERENCE NEEDS TO BE

• UNIQUE OR DISTINCT• COMPELLING – FORCEFULLY ENGAGING THE

CUSTOMER• RELEVANT – VERY IMPORTANT OR SIGNIFICANT TO

THE AUDIENCE• CREDIBLE – BELIEVEABLE AND AUTHENTIC

BURGER KING – HAVE IT YOUR WAY

• EASY FOR CUSTOMERS TO REQUEST CHANGES• HAMBURGER JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE IT

COCA-COLA – IT’S THE REAL THING

• FIRST AND ORIGINAL COLA• RED AND WHITE LOGO

ENTERPRISE – WE’LL PICK YOU UP

• CUSTOMER PICK-UP• CONVENIENCE AND NO WORRIES

M & M’S – MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH NOT IN YOUR HAND

• NO MESSY CHOCOLATE ON YOUR FACE• COLORFUL CHARACTERS IN ADS TO REINFORCE

MESSAGE

BOUNTY – THE QUICKER PICKER-UPPER

• ABORBS SPILLS FASTER• TIME SAVER

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE UNIQUE SELLING POINTS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS?

FED EXPAPA JOHN’S PIZZANYQUIL COLD MEDICINE

DEVELOPING YOUR POINT OF DIFFERENCE

QUALITIES FOR A SUCCESSFUL POD

1. MEETS THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF YOUR CUSTOMERS

2. OFFERS SOMETHING YOUR COMPETITION DOES NOT

3. DIFFICULT FOR YOUR COMPETITION TO COPY

4. SHOWS WHY THE CUSTOMER SHOULD CHOOSE YOU OVER THE COMPETITION

5. TIES IN WITH YOUR BRANDING

6. CLEAR AND CONCISE, EASY TO UNDERSTAND

STEP 1: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMER

• WHO IS YOUR CUSTOMER?• WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE CUSTOMER IN

YOUR BUSINESS?• UNDERSTAND THEIR WANTS AND NEEDS• DO THE RESEARCH

WHAT KIND OF RESEARCH?

• BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR INDUSTRYGO TO OTHER WEBSITES, READ

PUBLICATIONS, ATTEND CONFERENCESLIST WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO

CUSTOMERS IN YOUR INDUSTRY, HOW ARE SERVICES/PRODUCTS PROVIDED

• DETERMINE THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF YOUR CUSTOMERSCONDUCT SURVEYS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL

CUSTOMERS

WEB-BASED, POINT OF SERVICE, AFTER PURCHASE OR USE OF SERVICE, INFORMAL AND FORMAL, FOCUS GROUPS

GATHER DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIALGRAPHIC INFORMATION

VISIT WEBSITES THAT POST COMPLAINTS AND POSTIVE COMMENTS

STEP 2: YOU VS. THE COMPETITION

• UNDERSTAND YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

• UNDERSTAND YOUR COMPETOR’S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

STEP 3: ANALYZE• WHAT DO WE DO?• HOW DO WE DO IT?• WHY DO PEOPLE BUY FROM US OR USE OUR

SERVICES?• WHY US AND NOT THE COMPETITION?• WHAT ARE OUR KEY FEATURES AND

BENEFITS?• HOW DOES THIS MAKE YOU UNIQUE?

THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF YOUR POS IS TO HAVE PEOPLE SAY “OH, I HEARD ABOUT YOU. YOU’RE THE ORGANIZATION WHO…” AND THEY RESPOND BY USING YOUR SERVICE, BUYING FROM YOU, ETC.

• YOUR POD IS THE ESSENCE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER. IT SHOULD BE SO COMPELLING THAT IT CAN BE USED IN A TAGLINE OR HEADLINE TO MARKET YOURSELF

• USE YOUR BIGGEST BENEFITS– PRICE, CONVENIENCE, SERVICE, OLDEST, FASTEST,

LARGEST, HIPPEST, FUNNIEST, ETC.

• BE UNIQUE• SOLVE A PROBLEM OR PERFORMANCE GAP• INTEGRATE INTO ALL YOUR MARKETING– WEB, PRINT, DIRECT MAIL, ADVERTISING, PR,

SOCIAL MEDIA

THE BROADMOOR

• FIVE-STAR RESORT• POD –SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE• TAGLINE-IF YOU’VE BEEN HERE, YOU KNOW

GROUP ACTIVITY

QUESTIONS