Finding your Differentiator: What Makes Your Shop Stand Out?

You’re not the only PSP expanding your capabilities and trying to become customers’ one-stop shop. How do you stand out and attract business when print buyers have so many options?

The trick is finding out your differentiator, your competitive advantage. What’s something you do better and/or differently than your competitors, and why is that an asset to potential customers? Are you able to print to a difficult, ultra-niche substrate? Have you mastered the art of high-touch, multimodal customer experiences and engagements? Are you plugged in to trends that help your customers project innovation and intrigue audiences?

Knowing what sets your PSP apart allows you to utilize your marketing and operational resources more intelligently. When you find something that really resonates with customers, don’t be afraid to amplify that message.

Often, you already know your differentiator — but other times, you may not be sure, or, upon doing a little research, you may be surprised.

Consider surveying your customers with questions like:

• What made you decide to work with us? Why do you continue to work with us?
• Are there applications you don’t bring to us currently? Why? (It may turn out they don’t know you have the capability to produce certain types of applications.)
• How would you compare your experience working with us versus other print buying experiences you’ve had elsewhere?
• Are there certain challenges you are trying to solve with your applications (increased response rates, etc.)? This may help uncover some services you offer they don’t know you have, such as data cleansing and personalization beyond the name.

Similarly, you can ask your reps and operators:

• Is there one type or set of applications that have proven especially popular? Why do you think that is?
• When starting conversations with customers, what are some things they are trying to accomplish with their applications? 
• How do you pitch some of our more unique offerings and relate them to your clients’ goals and objectives?

These are just some of the questions you can start with to try to get a clearer sense of what you’re doing (or not doing) that’s edging out the competition — but also uncover your clients’ understanding of all you can provide, and their current challenges you can help solve. If you’re able to do further research into what your competitors are up to, it can help you develop a more complete picture, both of how you stand out today, and emerging threats to your competitive advantage tomorrow. Furthermore, it can help you tie your offerings to your clients’ objectives and challenges to further strengthen relationships and result in shared success.