If your messaging was so on point that instead of explaining why your offer is worth it, you knew that every time you launch, there was already demand—how different would that feel?

14. The Differentiation Triangle: Stop Competing and Stand Out in a Saturated Market

Rather than marketing with certainty that people are going to buy from you, many entrepreneurs fall into the trap of convincing their audience to work with them. This approach keeps you stuck in competition mode, attracting leads who aren't ready to buy and positioning your brand as just another option rather than the only option.

The Messaging Block That Keeps You Competing For Sales

Today, we're going to tackle a messaging block that I see that comes up a lot when I'm looking at Instagram, in emails, on sales pages, even in webinar pitches.

It comes up everywhere and is something that needs to be addressed if you are competing with similar businesses or are in a saturated market.

And to be honest, that’s everyone right now.

But there's definitely a bit of confusion around this topic, which is why I thought it'd be a fun episode for today.

And when you do this well, it's going to position you in such a different league to everyone else in your space, so you stop competing.

The Problem With Not Differentiating Yourself

If you feel like you’re the industry’s best kept secret, despite having a better offer than your competitors, this is for you. 

You’re doing all the things—posting on Instagram, writing emails, tweaking your sales pages—but your audience still isn’t converting the way you’d like. Instead of feeling confident in your offers, you feel like you're stuck trying to prove your value.

Here’s what happens when you don’t differentiate your messaging:

• Price shoppers & discount seekers – Potential clients compare you to others and will choose who to buy from based on price.

• Unqualified leads – You attract people who aren’t actually ready or willing to invest.

• Marketing from a defensive place – Instead of leading with confidence, you’re stuck justifying your value, adding a ton of bonuses and convincing people to buy.

Imagine what would happen if your messaging was so dialed in that instead of explaining why your offer is worth it, you knew that every time you launch, there was already demand.

And all of this stems from how you position your offer.

The Messaging Shift You Need to Make

Why Selling Features and Benefits Isn’t Enough

You’ve probably heard the classic advice: Sell benefits, not features.

So you start focusing on benefits, but… nothing changes. You’re still struggling to stand out. That’s because selling benefits alone isn’t enough.

What actually makes someone choose YOU over someone else? Why do two businesses in the same niche with similar offers get completely different results?

Here’s the thing: people don’t actually care about the how (features) or even the benefits (why) if you fail to do this one thing…

It’s about positioning the “WHO” — who they become after working with you.

How to Stand Out Using the Triangle of Differentiation

Imagine a triangle with three horizontal layers. Every business operates on these three levels when it comes to differentiation:

1. Standard Features (Bottom Tier – Baseline Requirements)

The bottom tier, this is the widest one, is your standard features. This is where most people are stuck, which is why you feel like they’re constantly competing and having to prove your value.

These are the basic things that allow you to exist in your category. They don’t set you apart—they just make you a business in the category you’re in.

Example: A clothing store has dressing rooms, clothes in various sizes, and a storefront. None of this makes them unique—it’s just expected. (aka the features or baseline requirements to be called a clothing store). 

Well, of course, you have this.

In the online space, this could be:

• A coaching program that includes modules and Q&A calls.

• A membership that offers weekly trainings.

• A course with PDFs and workbooks.

These are NOT differentiators. They’re just the foundation.

2. Specialized Features (Middle Tier – Enhancing the Experience)

These are additional features that make your offer more appealing to your audience, but they’re still copyable.

Example: A boutique store has personal shopping assistants and champagne while you try on clothes. It’s elevated—but another store could also offer this.

In the online space, this might be:

• A Slack community for extra support.

• 1:1 calls inside a group program.

• AI-powered assessments or diagnostic tools.

These features make your offer stand out more, but they can still be replicated by competitors.

3. Self-Expressive Benefits (Top Tier – The True Differentiator)

THIS is what makes you stand out in a league of your own. It’s not about what your offer has, but about who your client becomes when they work with you.

People buy because of what your brand says about them.

For example:

• People shop at Patagonia because it aligns with their identity—they see themselves as eco-conscious adventurers.

• People buy from Louis Vuitton because it represents luxury, exclusivity, and status.

How does this apply to your business?

When people choose your offer, it’s not just about solving a problem—it’s about aligning with the version of themselves they want to become.

Instead of just listing features and benefits, ask yourself:

• When my dream client enrolls in my program, they become…

• They value…

• They believe…

• They feel…

Your Homework: Find Your Self-Expressive Benefits

To stand out in a saturated market, your job isn’t just to sell a program—it’s to sell an identity.

💡 Ask yourself:

1. What does my brand say about my clients?

2. Who do they become when they work with me?

3. What deeper identity shift does my offer create?

Start weaving these self-expressive benefits into your content, emails, and sales pages. Let your audience see themselves in your brand, and you’ll never have to compete for sales again.

Want to Go Deeper? Join the Waitlist of my Mentorship

If you want to master messaging at this level—where your dream clients see you as the only choice—join the waitlist for the next round of my live launch mentorship.

I’ll be guiding you through every stage of your launch and working closely with you to ensure you’ve got highly specific magnetic messaging that makes your offer a no-braner for your audience.

Click here to join the waitlist

Thank you for listening to this episode of Copy to Freedom: The Podcast. Subscribe for more lighthearted, inspirational, and actionable chats about business, marketing, and reclaiming your freedom.

Connect with Erin:

Website: https://erinmorris.co/

Instagram: @LaunchWithErin