How to Find Marketing Ideas That Aren’t Obvious

Most marketing is forgettable.

It makes you keep scrolling. Pass by it on an aisle. Or click off the web page.

It’s just another piece of noise clamoring for your attention.

Not doing its job.

And the main reason it fails to pique your interest is that it tries to lure you in with what’s obvious.

The Pitfall of Obvious Marketing

I randomly picked a category: gyms.

Then, I looked at the websites of three of the largest brands in the category: Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, and 24 Hour Fitness.

And they’re all guilty of highlighting the obvious:

• Gold’s: “Stronger starts here.”

• Planet Fitness: “We’re all strong on this planet.”

• 24 Hour Fitness: “Just $1 to Start. All the Weights. All the Cardio. All the Things. Your Move.”

Gold’s Gym and Planet Fitness try to intrigue you by offering something all gyms do: make you stronger. And 24 Hour Fitness tries to lure you in by offering something all gyms have: a wide selection of equipment.

They highlight essential attributes that customers expect from any fitness center. They advertise aspects of the category instead of what makes them uniquely capable of solving problems and driving the results someone wants.

And this isn’t limited to just the first three gyms I clicked.

It’s pervasive.

Pick any industry, and you’ll see businesses marketing the category instead of themselves.

It invites comparison and consideration of competitors because they also offer it. It fails to give a compelling reason to choose your gym. And instead of differentiating your company, it commoditizes your offering.

It makes your brand easy to ignore because you’re just adding to the noise.

The Power of Meaningfully Differentiated Marketing

The antidote to the obvious is the meaningfully different.

Meaningfully different isn't doing something competitors aren’t doing. It’s helping customers solve their problems and achieve their outcomes in a way that’s meaningfully different from competitors.

It requires understanding your customers’ needs and highlighting how you can solve them in a way nobody else does.

Rather than inviting comparison by highlighting the category, it positions your gym as uniquely suited to members' needs and preferences.

It reduces consideration of alternatives by giving compelling reasons why you’re the only brand capable of delivering.

Sticking with gyms, take a look at Continuum Club.

First, they claim their own category: “Precision Wellness.”

Then, they back up the category claim with a unique offer that solves the fitness problem for wealthy, data-driven customers: biometric scans and a customized program to meet your fitness goals in an invite-only setting. It’s not something you can compare to the offerings at other gyms.

You must pay top dollar for it—$10,000 a month—but it stands out. It’s not something you can compare to the offerings at other gyms. And it's not just better than what competitors offer.

It's meaningfully different for their audience.

Finding Your Meaningfully Different Marketing Angle

To find your meaningfully different marketing angle:

1. Analyze your competitors and write down what they’re claiming and what they’re offering

2. List your differentiating features, services, and experiences

3. Talk to your customers and potential customers to find out what matters to them

Ask: what can you claim that:

• Competitors aren’t doing

• That you excel at

• And customers desire.

Don't just rely on internal brainstorming.

Seek outside perspective.

Mine member reviews and online conversations for insight. Or, if you have the budget, conduct surveys and interviews.

Don't get lost in their opinion about you or hypothetical situations.

Instead, dig into:

• The problems people face

• The outcomes they desire

• How they see themselves in the context of your products.

Make sure you look beyond the obvious. Don’t try to claim a better version of a category basic.

Find something that addresses a problem, gives them the desired outcome, and you can claim as unique, like Continuum Club does with precision wellness.

This isn’t easy.

It requires looking beyond what everyone else claims, beyond what defines the existing category, and discovering what makes your brand meaningfully different.

P.S. If you need help finding your meaningfully different marketing angle so customers can’t ignore you, just reply to this email. I’ll set up a free discovery call and see how I can use my 20 years of experience to help you solve your unique challenges.