Why are you the strategy?

How service businesses can stand out in a saturated market

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Saeeb Mahfoud
April 17, 2025 • 3 min read • Published in Category Name
Table of Contents

Table of contents

Introduction

The Differentiation Trap

Flip the Strategy: Start with Yourself

People Buy You, Not Just Your Offer

How to Turn Yourself into a Strategy

Start with yourself... because no one is like you

In today’s digital business world, starting your own service-based business has never been easier — but standing out? That’s the real challenge.

Whether you’re a coach, consultant, or specialist, one truth has become crystal clear:
The service you offer is not the most important part of your success. The real differentiator is you.

Let’s dive into why your personal brand, values, and unique delivery style are more strategic than the offer itself — and how you can leverage that to grow your business in an authentic and sustainable way.

The Differentiation Trap

Most professionals enter the market with the same game plan:

  1. Identify a common problem

  2. Create a solution

  3. Market it as a “unique offer”

In today’s digital business world, starting your own service-based business has never been easier — but standing out? That’s the real challenge.

Whether you’re a coach, consultant, or specialist, one truth has become crystal clear:
The service you offer is not the most important part of your success. The real differentiator is you.

Let’s dive into why your personal brand, values, and unique delivery style are more strategic than the offer itself — and how you can leverage that to grow your business in an authentic and sustainable way.

Sounds logical, right? But here’s the catch — the market is flooded with similar solutions. Chances are, someone else has already built something close. Maybe even cheaper, with sleeker branding, or backed by a bigger team.
So what happens?
You end up competing on all the wrong things: discounts, marketing tactics, endless promos… and still, you don’t truly stand out.

Flip the Strategy: Start with You

Instead of starting with the problem and trying to force uniqueness into your offer, flip the process. Ask yourself: What makes me weird (in a good way)? What do clients actually remember about working with me? What’s my unique angle, my style, or my delivery approach? What do I naturally do better or differently than others? Start by identifying what’s already unique about you — then build your services around that.
This approach does two powerful things: 1. It helps you create a service that’s hard to replicate 2. It naturally builds a strong personal brand that attracts the right clients Your style, your values, your quirks — these are what create an emotional connection that no template or marketing channel can replace.

People buy you, not just your offer

Let’s be real: in the service business, people don’t just buy results. They buy trust. Energy. Connection. Leadership. That’s why so many “good” offers fail, while others thrive — even if they deliver similar results. Because the person behind the brand makes all the difference. Think of it this way: “The real competitive advantage isn’t the offer. The real competitive advantage is you.” Your presence is your positioning. Your uniqueness is your strategy.
This approach leads to two powerful outcomes: It helps you build a service that’s hard to replicate. And it naturally shapes a personal brand that attracts the right clients. Your style. Your values. Your quirks — they create a connection no template or marketing channel can replace.

So, how do you turn yourself into a strategy?

Start with this framework:

1. Self-Audit: Reflect on what makes your way of working different — even unintentionally. What do you do naturally that others might find impressive?

2. Client Feedback: Ask past clients what they appreciated about working with you. What words do they use? What moments stood out?

3. Content & Positioning: Build your message around your unique voice, values, and approach — not just features or benefits.

4. Offer Design: Let your personality and expertise shape how you present your offer — not the other way around.

Start with yourself... because no one is like you

When this kind of positioning is done right: – It builds trust faster – Attracts aligned clients – Makes your business feel more like *you* – Shields you from the “me too” trap So if you’re a service professional trying to grow — don’t start with the offer. Start with yourself. Because no one can copy that.

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