In B2B, Different Doesn’t Sell

We have a client with innovative IP that has developed a disruptive cloud infrastructure platform and service. The value of this technology is significant because it delivers a 2X performance for ½ the cost – and has the promise to completely upend the market. Needless to say, the founders are brilliant – often the smartest people in the room. They pride their technology on being so “different” than the Amazon Web Services, Rackspace and others in the burgeoning market category.

But “different” doesn’t sell.

dif·fer·ent/ˈdif(e)rent/ Adjective: novel and unusual

Buyers aren’t looking for “different”, they are looking for “better”.

bett·er  /ˈbeter/ Verb: improve on or surpass

What a difference one word makes.

By changing the conversation from “different” to “better”, the company immediately strengthened their competitiveness in sales cycles. The company took off.

A subtle, but significant shift –  “our technology is different than the others” to “our technology delivers significantly better price/performance”. The result is exponential. Now they are having  conversations with their ideal buyers that is road mapped to their buyer’s needs. This shift set the stage and enabled the company to articulate a value proposition that no competitor can match.