Differentiation Without Feature Fights — Deep Dive #2

Differentiation Without Feature Fights — Deep Dive #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.

Words move markets when they mirror customer reality. Start where their risk lives.

Steps

1. Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
2. Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
3. List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
4. Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.

Why this matters: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.

Toolkit

• Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
• Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
• Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].

How to use it: CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

How to use it: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.

Example

A dev‑tools startup replaced clever taglines with a plain promise and saw demo requests up 34% in six weeks.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes

• Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
• Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
• Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
• Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.

Fix: Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits). Add it to your operating checklist so teams don’t drift next sprint.

Related Articles

• Story Structures That Sell — Guide #2
• Value Proposition That Converts — Deep Dive #2
• Differentiation Without Feature Fights
• Messaging Hierarchy for Landing Pages — Guide #2

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