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The Power of Differentiation

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"If you want to make history with your brand, read this book!" - Jonathan Randall, President of Mack Trucks North America

Two facts to consider. There are over 500,000 brands in 2,000 categories worldwide. And nearly fifty million Americans left their jobs in 2021 alone. Realizing all this underscores how challenging, critical, and rare a brand is to be valued and loved by not only its customers but its employees as well. According to Barry LaBov, it comes down to just one Differentiation.

LaBov, author of dozens of books including The Power of Differentiation, is founder of LABOV Marketing, Communications and Training. In this book, he draws on his firm's forty years of differentiating hundreds of companies in dozens of industries. LaBov and team have inspired leaders to identify what makes their brand, products, technology, and services unique and to then celebrate it, first with the most important audience, their employees.

The Power of Differentiation reveals the steps needed to uncover the magic and genius in a company's manufacturing and engineering because your brand lives inside your products and technology. It shares case studies of service enterprises that separated from the pack as they focused on their customer treatment because your brand is your experience to customers. It reveals the secrets to mobilizing the sales channel to represent your company as if its logo is tattooed on their heart. And it focuses on the power of a brand's lexicon or language because words create worlds.

It's not about being perfect, either, as LaBov shares stories of flawed organizations that dominated their rivals. And you'll learn how to build your brand while defeating the competition as they lower prices by commoditizing or homogenizing their product.

The Power of Differentiation is an uplifting, insightful journey into discovering and celebrating what makes your brand unique.

214 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2024

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About the author

Barry LaBov

4 books2 followers

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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Profile Image for Tim Hughes.
Author 2 books77 followers
June 25, 2024
Barry LaBov’s "The Power of Differentiation" is a compelling guide for businesses seeking to carve out a unique space in an increasingly commoditized market. Drawing from his extensive experience as the owner of LaBov & Beyond Marketing Communications, LaBov delves into the critical importance of differentiation. The book provides a well-rounded framework for identifying what makes a company unique and harnessing that distinctiveness to galvanize employees, enhance brand identity, and drive success. LaBov's approach is both practical and inspirational, offering strategies to celebrate and leverage a company's uniqueness, thus imbuing its brand with a clear purpose and direction.

A standout feature of "The Power of Differentiation" is its focus on the tangible benefits of differentiation, including its impact on sales, employee engagement, and recruitment. LaBov addresses the "commodity monster"—the pervasive pressure to conform and lose unique identity—and offers actionable insights to counteract this trend. His guidance on how to empower employees to embody and promote the company's unique attributes is particularly valuable, making this book an essential read for leaders who wish to foster a purpose-driven organizational culture. Overall, LaBov's book is a rich resource that underscores the power of standing out in a crowded marketplace.
Profile Image for Anath Lee Wales.
Author 37 books14 followers
May 20, 2025
This book is a resource intended to provide insights into identifying and leveraging a company's "unique strengths" to "stand out from competitors" and avoid becoming a commodity. Through anecdotes from the author's experience, including his time in a rock band and working with various companies like Volkswagen and Newmar RV, the book illustrates the importance of discovering, naming, and promoting "differentiation" internally and externally. It emphasizes that strong "leadership" and a focus on "employees" and "customer experience" are crucial to achieving lasting success and overcoming challenges like the "Commodity Monster." The author also describes a proprietary process called "Brand Re-Engineering" that helps companies uncover their distinctiveness through research, technical immersion, and collaborative "Jam Sessions."
1 review
September 22, 2024
An insightful look into the value of owning what makes you (or your brand) unique

This book really delves into not just how and why uniqueness is an invaluable asset for your brand, but also how to go about identifying and celebrating your differentiating factors. LaBov shares numerous anecdotes, as well as his company's own proven methodology for truly exploring what is unique and noteworthy, and then effectively communicating that to internal teams, external partners, and customers. I enjoyed reading it and felt motivated to help my own team using what I'd learned.
2 reviews
June 29, 2024
Valuable resource

This book is a valuable resource for business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to stand out in a crowded market. LaBov’s practical advice, combined with real-world examples, provides a solid foundation for understanding and implementing differentiation strategies that foster long term growth and success.
2,152 reviews14 followers
July 7, 2024
Marketing guru Barry LaBov is the go to guy if you want to stand out from the crowd and not be just another product or service competing on price. Through real world examples, you'll learn from the mistakes of others and avoid making similar mistakes, which will save yourself time, money and a world of pain. A must read!
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