A ‘Dramatic Difference‘ is an “unmatchable ‘bundle’ of products, services, skills, methods and practices that differentiate a business from its competitors”. It’s a combination of things that competitors aren’t doing – even better it’s things that competitors can’t do!
3D Businesses establish a Dramatic Difference and then work hard at Demonstrating it. However, Demonstrating your Dramatic Difference is not always an easy thing to do – it’s often ‘intangible’. One thing for sure is that it’s certainly not just about ‘shouting’ how good you are in your marketing materials, advertisements, emails and website – everyone does that! It’s about DOING things that Demonstrate it!
A business that does that very well is local caterers PJ Taste. They have established themselves as market leaders here in Sheffield and have built up an impressive list of delighted customers for their nutritious, healthy and high, quality food. Their Dramatic Difference is that they are passionate about high quality locally sourced food and just some of the things that they do to Demonstrate that passion include…
- The PJ Taste Blog:
You’ll often read about MD Peter’s ‘adventures’ scurrying and foraging in the local countryside for fresh produce ingredients. His passion shines through!
- Partnerships With Local Suppliers:
PJ Taste actively support and promote local suppliers and they make this very clear in everything they do! It’s not just links on the website, they use local ingredients and work hard at campaigning for, and promoting their suppliers.
- Innovative Events:
From special breakfasts in National Farmhouse Breakfast Week to a secret supper club there’s always something going on – even A Night Of Wild Fungi And Beer! Again, their passion and enthusiasm is there for all to see (and experience)!
- Educating People:
Whether it’s about the joys (and benefits) of foraging and how to do it, nutritional information and advice as an integral part of their proposals when quoting to cater for an event, to their staff understanding and explaining these things to customers and demonstrating their passion at those events, this is clearly an integral element of their Dramatic Difference and adds to the whole customer experience.
Innovative Products:
The PJ Taste team are always coming up with new and innovative products and one major success is their wonderful Sheffield Egg! It was developed in conjunction with a young local entrepreneur Michael Dungworth, who did a three week work placement with the team. Together they came up with a twist on the traditional scotch egg and developed a ploughman’s-style covering using pork from Povey Farm in Sheffield’s Moss Valley combined with PJ Taste chutney and Yorkshire cheese. A dash of Henderson’s Relish gives a distinctive Sheffield tang, further emphasising the local heritage. Crucially, the egg is then tossed in toasted breadcrumbs and baked rather than deep fried – making it healthy too! It illustrates everything great about PJ Taste: innovative, healthy, locally sourced and nutricious – it also tastes wonderful too!
PJ Taste’s proactive approach to makes them number #21 in our 3D Challenge search for 100 ideas. They are a great example of ‘Establishing a Dramatic Difference’ (3D Characteristic #2) and critically, Demonstrating that Difference!
So what are the lessons for you? Well, the challenge for any business is to ensure that their Dramatic Difference is Demonstrated in the day to day. So, why not take a ‘proactive approach’ to assess how you measure up?
Here’s how…
– Set some time aside and get your team together
– Clarify what your ‘bundle’ of products, services, skills, methods and practices that differentiate your business from your competitors
– Review ALL your interctations with customers and potential customers whether they be online, offline, correspondence or face to face
– Identify whether they reinforce your ‘Dramatic Difference’ or undermine it (tip: some things might do neither – but be hard on yourself and consider them as negative!)
– Build on the things that reinforce it and stop doing the things that undermine it!
And finally, if you are setting some time aside to do this, why not treat yourself and sample some of PJ Taste’s food – it’s wonderful (and no, I’m not on commission, just one of those delighted customers!)
(This idea is number #21 in our 3D Challenge search for 100 ideas!)
(3D Characteristic #2 Establish A Dramatic Difference!)
