CoNSULTANcY PoSITIoNINg: BEYoNd gIMMIcKS ANd INTo gENUINE RESoNANcE

Let’s get one thing straight: slapping a gimmick on your consultancy’s content doesn’t make you different. It makes you forgettable.

Yet, here we are, watching consultancy leaders throw out buzzwords, overhyped promises and cringeworthy “disruptor” claims - thinking that’s the secret sauce to standing out. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

Ask any consultancy leader, and they will tell you: differentiation is a lifeline. Yet, so many misunderstand its essence. It's not enough to just be different; one must align with the pace and sophistication of the target audience. Successful positioning strategy takes more than just a marketing campaign; it requires an understanding of the minds of customers and an air-tight positioning strategy that resonates with them.

Real differentiation? That’s the kind that sticks. The kind that gets your prospects nodding instead of rolling their eyes. And guess what? It has nothing to do with being loud and everything to do with being relevant.

Your differentiation isn’t for you

Most consultancy leaders think being different is about them. Nope. It’s about your ideal client. The ones you actually want to work with.

If your positioning doesn’t align with their needs, their problems, and - most importantly - their level of sophistication, you might as well be shouting into the void.

And when you get it right? Your content doesn’t just inform - it builds a network of engaged, high-value prospects who actually want to listen to you.

A strong positioning strategy isn’t about what makes you feel special. It’s about what makes your audience say, Finally, someone who gets it.

Meet your clients where they are

Your market is a marathon. Some buyers are barely lacing up their trainers. Others are seasoned pros, sprinting ahead. Your job? Not to run past them, but to match their stride.

That means understanding:
✅ What stage they’re at
✅ What’s keeping them up at night
✅ What’s making them hesitate to pull the trigger on hiring a consultancy like yours

If you’re too far ahead, you’re intimidating. If you’re too basic, you’re irrelevant. The sweet spot? Being the exact solution they need right now.

Your tone of voice is either a magnet or a repellent

A lot of consultancy leaders  treat tone of voice like an afterthought. Big mistake.

Your tone sets the stage for how prospects perceive you. Too corporate? You sound like every other boring firm. Too laid-back? You risk coming off as an amateur.

The goal? Authority without arrogance. Expertise without being dry. A tone that says, we know our stuff, and we actually give a crap.

Because let’s face it: if your positioning sounds like it came from an AI chatbot trained on corporate LinkedIn posts, your prospects are already asleep.

Stop insulting your audience’s intelligence

The old-school way of selling consulting services? Overcomplicated jargon, generic frameworks and pretending you’ve invented the wheel. Newsflash: your audience isn’t buying it.

Today’s buyers are smart. They’ve seen the pitches. They’ve read the articles. They can smell BS from a mile away.

So, respect their sophistication. Instead of trying to impress, focus on being useful. Make your differentiation about real, tangible value - not just a shiny new way to say the same thing as everyone else.

Differentiation isn’t the goal. Connection is.

Being different for the sake of being different is pointless. The real win? Becoming the consultancy leader your ideal clients trust to solve their biggest problems.

The best consultancies don’t just talk about differentiation – they live it. They demonstrate it in the way they communicate, the leadership they bring to client engagements and the wide range of expertise they apply to solving real problems.

So, do yourself a favour - ditch the gimmicks. Nail your positioning. Speak like a human. And watch as clients stop scrolling past you and start listening.

Now, go make an impact.