How do you develop competitive messaging when your product doesn't bring competitive features to market?

I have been in this scenario before and I try to focus on the strengths around the product - even when it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that others might have.....

1. Reframe the Value Proposition:

• Focus on your strengths: What does your product do well? Perhaps it's easier to use, more affordable, has better customer support, or integrates more seamlessly with existing systems. Identify those strengths and make them the centerpiece of your messaging.

• Highlight the "why" behind your product: Why was it created in the first place? What problems does it solve? Even if you don't have every feature, you likely have a core value proposition that resonates with a specific audience. My team created a video series called - the Wow behind the How - it really brought to life the value of the product.

• Emphasize your unique approach: Perhaps your product takes a different approach to solving a problem, or focuses on a niche that competitors overlook - one thing we do really well at Salesforce is have domain expertise at the industry layer - a lot of our competitors don't have this, so we bring this to life when we can and then highlight customer examples.

2. Target the Right Audience:

• Don't try to be everything to everyone: If you don't have all the competitive features, focus on the audience that will most appreciate your strengths. Who are the ideal customers for your product, even with its limitations?

• Tailor your messaging: Craft your messaging specifically for that target audience, emphasizing the benefits that matter most to them.

3. Go Beyond Features:

• Focus on outcomes: Instead of just listing features, focus on the outcomes your product helps customers achieve. How does it make their lives easier, their work more efficient, or their businesses more successful?

• Tell customer stories: Share real-world examples of how your product has helped customers achieve their goals. This can be more powerful than simply listing features. This honestly is your secret sauce - when you have customer validation - it just helps tell your story without the heavy lift.

• Highlight your company values: If your company has strong values around customer service, innovation, or social responsibility, incorporate those into your messaging to differentiate yourself.

If your product doesn't have the innovation on it's side to highlight I'd recommend turning to customer win feedback to learn why your product was selected and lean into those differentiators. It could be intangible differentiation like costs, ease of doing business with your company, excellent service. Or you could offer some of these non-competitive features like a native solution, more flexible/integrated solution, a better user experience, expertise, etc -- there's always a reason why people choose your product so don't be afraid to say what it is even if it's not a shiny new, super cool feature.

Trying to position your product as competitive when in reality it’s on par with the market can be so tough. This is especially true if you’re crafting messaging for a new product that hasn’t reached its full potential yet or if your product inherently has table stake features without a true competitive edge. In these situations, if you are really trying to be competitive, you need to lean on other attributes that can carve a differentiated angle in the market. Think about what it is that attracts users to your product or platform in the first place. For example - do users love your platform because it’s easy to use and has great customer service? 

In reality - not every product needs or can be positioned competitively if the differentiating advantage just isn’t there yet. You can still craft beautiful messaging that leads with benefits, even if these outcomes are expected by the market. This is a good time to really dig into your users needs and market insights to help influence the product roadmap and create a true competitive advantage. Sometimes it’s best to wait until you have competitive features before you take it to market in a big way.