In my time as an entrepreneur, and working with entrepreneurs, I’ve realised that the companies which are most successful are those with a clear vision about what they do, and what they want to achieve.

They are able to define what EOS terms their “three uniques”. These are the three things that in combination mark the company out from its competitors.

It’s why a customer would choose your brand over any others.

Often a business leader might identify their people, their customer service or quality as their three uniques.

However, while customers might appreciate these, they should be regarded as “business as usual”; they’re not special, measurable or business-defining.

If you base your marketing on these general uniques, then you’re likely to find that your campaigns will be lost in a noisy, crowded space and you might struggle with business growth.

Instead, as a business leader, you need to discover the real market differentiators that make your business stand apart. These three uniques can then be used in your marketing, sales pitches, and language around the office to drive direction, shorten the cycle from a prospect to a customer, increase revenues and accelerate business growth.

For EOS, the three uniques are Vision, Traction, Healthy – the three key benefits which running your business on EOS will bring.

Why look for three uniques?

There are several reasons why three uniques work so well for business. The first is to do with human psychology. Our brains look for patterns, and the relationships within those patterns. Three is the smallest number of variables to determine a pattern and if we see less, our brain is more likely to switch off.

Studies have concluded that any advertisement, speech, or message with three components is more persuasive. The studies show that if the speaker starts to use four or more uniques, then the audience can lose track or become sceptical of the claims.

This is often described as the “Power of Three.”

It’s all about the capacity of our brains. Three is an easy number of items for our short-term memory to store, without us getting confused or forgetting one, but it’s also enough material to give credibility to an idea. This helps us to understand why businesses need to find three things they do well.

How to identify your three uniques

Identifying your three uniques can be hard. You may well need to do some soul searching to find them. You can’t just sit at your desk and write the first three words that come into your head.

Your uniques may be so embedded in the way you do business that they have become subconscious, so you don’t realise that they are marketable.

One option is to ask people why they chose to work with you. Often it’s your customers who know your uniques best. They interact with you regularly and they have chosen to use your services or products over others.

There are many ways you can survey customers for their feelings about your brand. You can call them, ask them in an email, or speak to them when you meet with them.

There are pros and cons for each of these options. For instance, speaking to them directly might not provide accurate results, as customers might say what they think you want to hear. Email, however, may offer poorer response rates.

Whatever the method you use, ask your clients what they believe differentiates you from others. It may help to break this down into two sub-questions: what problems you solve well and what solutions you deliver uniquely.

Along with gathering customer data, ask your sales and leadership teams the same questions. These are the people who are discussing your brand with customers every day, which will give them insights into what persuades people to use you instead of competitors.

Once you’ve done this, compare the responses from your customers and your team.  Focus on the items or attributes which both groups have identified, and use these to craft your three uniques.

Finding your uniques can inspire your business

Identifying your three uniques can help create focus, direction and identity for your business.

It gives your team clarity about your vision for the business and helps your sales and marketing teams differentiate you from your competitors.

If you need help with finding your business uniques, we’re here to help. We offer a facilitated exercise to help you discover and/or refine them. Contact us today and we’ll help you start your business growth journey.

Image credit: Unsplash