Positioning for Professionals

"Most managers invest their time and energy in trying to make their firms better, when in fact they should also be working to make their firms different'—From Positioning for Professionals

Why are some professional service firms so much more successful than their competitors? The difference isn't just talent, but focus. The best firms know that standing for everything is the same as standing for nothing. Instead of trying to be good at everything, they do what they do best and find resources for the rest.

Destined to become the positioning strategy companion you'll turn to again and again, Positioning for Professionals offers executives of professional service firms proven strategies for positioning their firms for maximum success in the marketplace.

Drawn from his decades of work in the advertising and marketing fields, thought leader Tim Williams helps you develop a differentiating value proposition with valuable insights on:

Why it's better to be a profit leader than a market leader

How to overcome your natural fear of focus

Making your firm hard to imitate

Out-of-the-ordinary ways to differentiate your firm from the "sea of sameness"

Why every company is a brand, like it or not...

and why every single business decision you make affects the success and reputation of your brand

It's no coincidence that a handful of top firms keep winning the most business, attract the best talent, and earn the highest margins. They're the ones that have staked out a differentiating positioning strategy that capitalizes on their strengths. Rather than being mildly appealing to a broad group of prospects, they're intensely appealing to a select group of prospects. They're the firms that follow the valuable principles you'll find in this book.

In the last twenty years, no marketing concept has captured the collective business imagination more than "branding." While many professional service firms are in the business of helping their clients build a stronger brand, they seldom pay the same kind of attention to developing their own brand. As Positioning for Professionals reveals, it's all about differentiation. Filled with proven insights and valuable differentiation strategies, this visionary book takes a step back to examine how your professional firm can make the transition from being a "recognized name" to becoming a highly focused brand—and why a stronger brand means stronger profits.

Marketing and advertising thought leader Tim Williams reveals how developing a well-defined positioning strategy can help your firm earn a more powerful reputation in the marketplace. Take a look inside for world-class guidance on:

Why building a successful brand means going against your instincts

Foregoing best practices for "next practices"

Why there's no such thing as "full service" or a "general market"

Why copying competitors' strategies doesn't work...

...and why differentiating does—with big results

Destined to become the desktop brand development and business strategy companion you will turn to again and again, Positioning for Professionals offers you powerful, insightful ideas for positioning your firm for maximum market success.