Many Australian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) struggle to clearly articulate what truly sets them apart. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking ‘we offer great customer service’ or ‘we’re reliable’ – but those are often just table stakes these days. To effectively position your business in the market, and attract the right customers, we need to dig deeper and identify your unique value proposition. This isn’t about what *you* think makes you special, it’s about what your target audience perceives as different and valuable.

So, how do we uncover this? Here are a few practical approaches.

• Competitive Analysis – Beyond Features: Don’t just list what your competitors *do*. Analyse *how* they do it, and more importantly, what they *don’t* do. Look for gaps in the market – unmet needs, underserved segments, or areas where their customer experience falls short.
• Customer Research – The Voice of the Customer: Talk to your existing customers. Not just about satisfaction, but about why they chose you over alternatives. What problem were they trying to solve? What specifically about your offering resonated with them? Surveys, interviews, and even analysing online reviews can provide valuable insights.
• Focus on Your Core Competency: What does your business do exceptionally well? This isn’t necessarily about having the lowest price or the widest range. It’s about identifying a specific skill, process, or resource that you excel at and that’s difficult for competitors to replicate.
• Explore Your Brand Story: Often, differentiation lies in the ‘why’ behind your business. What’s your origin story? What values drive your decisions? A compelling brand narrative can create an emotional connection with customers and set you apart from purely transactional competitors.

Once you’ve identified these elements, the next step is to synthesise them into a concise and compelling positioning statement. This statement should clearly articulate your target audience, your unique value proposition, and the benefits customers can expect. It’s the foundation for all your marketing efforts, ensuring consistency and focus. Developing a strong market position now will be crucial as competition intensifies in 2026 and beyond.

To get started, we recommend scheduling a workshop with your team to brainstorm these areas. The goal isn’t to find the ‘perfect’ answer immediately, but to begin a process of continuous discovery and refinement. A clear understanding of your competitive advantage is the first step towards sustainable growth.