Be The Obvious Choice™
Stop competing on price. A strategic framework to define your unique value, filter your clients, and own your position in the market.
When to use this.
Use this tool when you feel like a commodity:
- The Price Fight: You constantly lose deals to cheaper competitors, or clients haggle over fees.
- The "Everything" Shop: You say yes to every request because you don't have a clear definition of who you serve best.
- Referral Confusion: Your referral partners struggle to explain what you actually do.
What You Need First
Client History
A list of your best (and worst) clients.
Competitor List
Who do you lose to? (Includes DIY).
60 Minutes
Deep work time to think strategically.
How to use it
Achieve Perceived Meaningful Differentiation.
Define Who You Benefit
Don't start with "what we do." Start with "who we serve." Use the matrix to rate potential clients on how easy they are to find, how confident you are in results, and how valuable you are to them.
Define the Impact
Map the "Life Before" vs. "Life After." Clients don't buy your service; they buy the transformation. What specific pain do you remove?
The Competitive Matrix
Rank yourself against Competitors, DIY, and "Do Nothing." Find the gap where you are strong and they are weak. That is your position.
Validate & Activate
Run your position through the 6-point filter (Relevance, Credibility, etc.). Then, align your internal systems and external messaging to prove it.
Common Mistakes
- Being "Full Service": Trying to be everything to everyone makes you nothing to anyone. Narrow the focus to increase the value.
- Ignoring "Do Nothing": Your biggest competitor often isn't another firm; it's the client deciding to live with the pain. Address the cost of inaction.
- Marketing "Features": Stop talking about the drill. Start talking about the hole.
The Moat
"Differentiation isn't just a marketing claim. It's an operational reality."
True positioning is defendable because your entire business system reinforces it. If you claim "Speed," your onboarding, hiring, and delivery must all be engineered for speed. That is how you build a moat.
Get the Workbook
Download the Framework (PDF)Includes: Client Matrix, Positioning Grid, and Validation Filter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this mean I have to fire current clients?
Not immediately. But it means you stop *marketing* to the wrong ones. Over time, you naturally transition your client base to the "Best Fit" profile, which increases profitability and reduces stress.
What if my industry is a commodity?
There is no such thing as a commodity service, only commodity marketing. You can always differentiate on *how* you deliver, who you deliver for, or the guarantee you offer.
Need help finding your edge?
We can help you analyze your market and define the "Obvious Choice" position that stops the price comparison game.
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