In most business schools, one of the first things you learn is that successful brands stand out from the competition. Maybe they offer unique innovation, such as Apple. Or perhaps they have valuable safety features, such as Volvo. Or perhaps they are reliable and familiar, such as McDonald’s.

All of these three elements are known as “brand differentiators” and when you focus on them, you can set your brand and your business head and shoulders above the competition.

Uniqueness

What sets your brand apart from your competitors? Are the products or services you offer different than everybody else’s? If so, you already have the first brand differentiator: Uniqueness.

When people look for the types of products or services you offer, yours need to stand out. If you offer the exact same products or similar services as everybody else, there’s no motivation for people to choose you over your competitors. Find the one thing that makes your brand unique and focus on it so you can explain to potential clients or customers what it is that makes you different and better than everybody else in the marketplace.

Value

The second brand differentiator is value. The uniqueness you promote should be quantifiable to people in some specific way.

That could mean price, but it also could mean time value, convenience, safety, or any significant value difference that distinguishes your brand from all the others.

Dependability

People need to know that your products or services are reliable, dependable, and consistent. Successful businesses focus on creating dependability as their third key brand differentiator. Once customers know they will get the same great products or consistent service from your business, they will return again and again. Plus, they will share their experience with family, friends, and social media contacts.

Brand differentiators — uniqueness, value, and dependability — are what separate average companies from the great ones. Which one does your business want to be?