Stop Telling People How ‘Unique’ You Are

I’ve worked with many companies that take pride in being “unique.” They forge their own path, dreaming up one-of-a-kind solutions rather than following industry norms.

That uniqueness often leads to disaster.

I had a client who loathed generally accepted accounting principles and invented their own financial reporting system instead. The result? Their books told them what they wanted to hear instead of what they needed to hear, and their bank account screamed bloody murder. Resolving those financial problems was a nightmare.

Often, “we’re unique” is code for “we’ve reinvented the wheel.”

When a company describes itself as “one-of-a-kind,” that uniqueness rarely benefits the customer. Your customers don’t care that you’re unique, because you shouldn’t be — they should be. Tailor your offerings to meet their needs rather than imposing your eccentric ways of doing business on them.

Not All Uniqueness Is Created Equal

There are two kinds of self-touted uniquenesses:

1. You’ve found a strategically different (better) approach to an old problem. This uniqueness is short-lived, because if your approach works, other businesses will copy you.
2. You’ve found an unconventional approach to an age-old problem that nobody wants to copy. You may eke out a niche clientele that sees value in your approach, but ultimately, you’ll reject more prospects than you’ll attract.

Neither uniqueness is sustainable as a value proposition or a business strategy. If your “unique” process or product improves outcomes, competitors will soon replicate it, and it won’t be unique anymore. If it fails to outperform existing options, only outliers will embrace your way of doing business.

What Does ‘Uniqueness’ Actually Mean?

Our minds crave justification for the choices we make, whether those choices are sound or misguided. So, when I hear a client tout their uniqueness, I hear them trying to rationalize poor decisions and unclear processes.

In my experience, a “unique way of doing things” doesn’t stem from a bold vision. It stems from a failure to address organizational shortcomings. Uniqueness is a self-talk issue.

It’s hard to place the right talent in key roles, commit to better systems, and evict legacy dysfunction. It’s much easier to wrap poor processes in the excuse of “uniqueness” and overlook the long-term consequences.

You Aren’t Unique — Your Customer Is

Uniqueness distracts your prospects. It puts the attention on you instead of them, and that takes away from the value you provide.

So, focus on each client’s uniqueness rather than your own. Discover what each customer hopes to achieve, what they value, and how their needs differ from your previous buyers.

Then, satisfy those unique requirements using repeatable, practical, tried-and-true best practices. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel for unique customers; you customize their events with repeatable solutions. There’s no problem with established accounting principles or CRM platforms, as long as you mold them to customer expectations.

The most innovative organizations understand that success comes from embracing client diversity rather than boasting about internal “uniqueness.” They celebrate what makes each customer special and engineer solutions accordingly.

So, look for language that touts your company’s uniqueness — in your website, marketing materials, operations, etc. — and challenge it. Does your proclaimed uniqueness improve customer outcomes, or does it simply excuse your flawed processes?

If it’s the latter, eliminate it. If it’s the former, it’s not uniqueness. It’s your value proposition.