JillyBeans

In my day job as a market strategist for professional services firms, I work at multiple levels all day. I bounce back and forth between strategy and tactics, between the big picture and the details that make the difference. I still find the professional services arena a challenge as clients come in all shapes and sizes and all levels of sophistication in their thinking about how they approach their markets.

Today I was reminded that marketers focused on the services sector are just as varied as my clients in their thinking. In a quick browse of some of other consulting and marketing blogs, I found an interesting entry by Suzanne Lowe on her Expertise Marketplace blog. Her article on the Be Better Trap points out an important point - marketing for services firms is not just about one-upping competing firms, it's about defining a differentiated market position that is better because it offers a unique value to clients.

Bravo to Suzanne for pointing out this trap which focuses competition inside the box - a box that the competitors draw for themselves by looking at each other instead of what their clients value. The ability to lead the market comes from understanding, anticipating, and focusing on market needs. To truly differentiate, talk to the market, not each other.