‘We're different’ is Far Superior to ‘We're better’ in B2B Sales

When a company already trusts an existing solution or way of working, persuading them that yours is "better" may come across as an unsubstantiated, abstract claim — especially if you’re an unknown entity.

It can put a prospect on the defensive, making them less receptive to learning about you and your solution.

Suggesting you're different — that you have a new way of approaching the problem — sparks curiosity and entices them to explore further.

It suggests something fresh, novel, and even a well-kept secret.

Seeing a problem from a different angle is the subject matter expertise many seek access to. Hint: You make yourself invaluable by knowing someone's job 5% better than they do.

People are more inspired (and pay more attention) when you give them a new way of thinking and force them to think — that ah-ha excites them to advocate internally, too.

Remember, they have only so many at-bats with bringing in new solutions; they want to ensure the one they do gives them the social/political credibility to gain internal exposure.

When a sales pitch focuses on being "better," it becomes more about you than the customer. Hint: This is when a prospect starts multi-tasking, and they tell you about the hard stop they have in 6 minutes.

While anyone can assert superiority, being "different" demonstrates that you bring unique ideas tailored to the customer's needs. It signifies that you've crafted your offering to address the customer's specific challenges. "Better" merely emphasizes the product itself.

In B2B sales (especially up-market), positioning trumps product specifics.

Overused comparative terms like "faster," "cheaper," and "easier" are often ignored — and are not defensible in their buying process.

However, being different attracts early adopters, as we all know; accessing a secret/new insight before their peers do fuels much of that risk-taking.

By focusing on being "different" rather than "better," you also don’t fall victim to over-building.

+++++

And, here’s a great read on the topic from Tyler Hogge: https://tylerhogge.com/2023/12/14/different-is-better-than-better/