When launching into a competitive space, first build the table-stakes features to achieve parity. Then, develop at least one "binary differentiator"—a unique, compelling capability that solves a major pain point your competitors don't, making the choice clear for customers.

Bizzabo created a campaign personifying the frustrations of its main competitor's customers. By directly addressing specific pain points heard in sales calls, the campaign resonated deeply with prospects and highlighted Bizzabo's superior solutions in a memorable, targeted way.

GoProposal used a four-part framework for all content: address customer Pain, clarify Aspirations, highlight the Traps of other solutions, and explain How to truly solve the problem. This structure guides prospects to conclude your product is the only viable option without directly attacking competitors.

If your narrative is about a broad market problem (e.g., "data is growing") that isn't uniquely solved by your product, you're creating demand for the entire category, including your competitors. A powerful story must be built around your specific differentiator, making it a narrative only you can convincingly tell.

A "takeaway sale" replaces an existing competitor (their toilet paper vs. yours), while a "demand gen sale" introduces a new category (a bidet). This distinction is critical because in takeaway sales, prospects already have a solution, so a pitch about your product's features is not inherently valuable.

A powerful way to create a flagship message is to define a "villain." This isn't a competitor, but the root cause of the buyer's problem. For Loom, the villain is "time-sucking meetings." For Cloud Zero, it's "unpredictable cloud billing." This frames your product as the clear solution to a tangible enemy.

To sell into a cynical market where previous solutions failed (a "Third Journey"), you can't just be a "next-gen" tool. You must re-educate buyers with precise messaging and a new category name, then instantly prove you're different by delivering undeniable value with minimal effort.

Many 'category creation' efforts fail because they just rename an existing solution. True category creation happens when customers perceive the product as fundamentally different from all alternatives, even without an official name for it. The customer's mental bucketing is the only one that matters.

Don't just list all your features. To build a strong 'why us' case, focus on the specific features your competitors lack that directly solve a critical, stated pain point for the client. This intersection is the core of your unique value proposition and the reason they'll choose you.