Outcome vs Output

From Coveteur. Photographer, Stephane Feugere. Stylist, Catherine Baba.

Differentiation is one of the challenges we most frequently address with our clients. How to stand out in a crowded and competitive world where there are a million kinds of conditioners, fragrances, anti-aging face creams, and whitening toothpastes.

Whatever it is that your brand specializes in, and however your products differentiate from your competitors, without the right positioning and messaging strategy you risk the perception of offering yet another commodity and getting lost in a limitless undifferentiated ocean.

Differentiation is unequivocally fundamental when launching a brand, but it is so integral to a brand’s continued success that it should be a key part of messaging strategy at every touchpoint.

What’s the secret to effectively embedding differentiation into your positioning and messaging strategy?

Focus on outcome rather than output.

• Shift your messaging strategy from a primary focus on what your brand immediately produces to what long-term impact it has on your audience.

• Contextualize your products by highlighting desired results, aspirational goals, and the brand’s overall mission.

• Remain attentive to the psychographics of your audience so that your positioning and messaging remain relevant, aligned, and agile.

It’s true that output is much easier to identify and measure than outcome. It’s more tangible, it often involves hard math, and it definitely fits better into a pie chart for stakeholder meetings.

But in order to stand out as an industry-defining brand and effectively build long-lasting relationships with your audience, today’s crowded and competitive world requires more. 

What outcomes differentiate your brand? How could your products stand out better amongst the crowd? Let’s talk about it.