If you could instill your product with a single virtue that set it apart from the rest of the market, what would it be?
Would you like your product to work the best? Would you like to make it so inexpensively that you can offer it at the best price? Would you like it to be the most stylish?
Your answer should be none of the above. Here's why: the biggest asset a product can have is uniqueness.
Perhaps it's unfair, but being great isn't enough. Being wildly different than what's out there is often the biggest predictor of whether or not you'll be able to grab significant market share.
Take the Toyota Prius as an example. When it hit the scene, it made a big splash. Was it because of its performance? No. Was it because of its looks? Certainly not. Was it gas mileage? Somewhat.
Image via IFCAR (Wikipedia)
But the real reason the Prius made waves was because of its hybrid engine. Never before had there been a mainstream, affordable, mass-produced hybrid car. This certainly was the future. This was special. And this was, most importantly, unique.
As a result, it sold. It seemed like overnight, everyone suddenly had a Prius. It didn't matter that it had dull handling, mediocre acceleration, and looks that could (even at one's most compassionate) be described as ugly. It didn't even matter too much when the factory recalls started pouring in.
When you're different from everything else, your uniqueness obliterates all other narratives about your product.
Compare the success of the Prius to how the Mazda 3 has fared. The Mazda 3 is cheaper, offers a similar amount of passenger space, is significantly quicker, handles much better, and is truly a beautiful car.
Yet, the Prius has outsold the Mazda 3 every year since its rise to prominence. Why? It's simple: The Mazda 3 never could claim uniqueness outright in any capacity.
There have always been cars just like it. Maybe they make theirs a bit better than most, but that's a narrative that's hard to make stick. Everyone claims that their product is better, so it's hard to show that yours actually is.
For another example, look at the rise of Apple. They focused intently on being different from the rest. And they weren't super subtle about this: their brand's tagline, after all, was "Think Different".
But Apple didn't just talk the talk: they walked the walk. Was anyone else really focusing on making computers and consumer technology artistically designed before Apple? The original iMac was wildly different from everything else on the market -- from the very first glance.
Was anyone really focusing on touchscreen user interface for mobile devices on a mass scale before Apple? With mobile devices adding more hard buttons by the day and getting more complex as they added features, the way you interacted with the first iPhone was fundamentally different than anything else out there.
Uniqueness is crucial because it drives your entire marketing strategy. With it, your product markets itself; without it, you have challenges. No matter how much you spend on marketing and advertising, your message will get simplified and distorted. There's so much noise out there that it's impossible for it not to.
If you aren't different, your message becomes, "And we're also selling one of these." Think of the millions and millions of dollars wireless companies spend in advertising to try to highlight tiny difference between them and their competitors. But can you really name any significant difference off the top of your head? When you're not wildly different, it's a tough life.
Uniqueness, on the other hand, is self-evident.
Join my community of like-minded entrepreneurs > What Vibes Your Tribe
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.