Is My Differentiation Clear Enough?

这个问题，估计是每个想自己干点事的人，晚上翻来覆去睡不着时都会问自己的。这事儿没有标准答案，但可以从几个角度帮你捋一捋，看看你的“不同”到底够不够硬。

1. Is your "difference" truly "better," or just "different"?

Being "different" is too easy. If I make a cup, and yours is round, but I insist on making mine square – that's different. But the question is, is a square cup better to use than a round one? Will anyone pay for this "squareness"?

What you need to ponder is whether your "difference" brings genuinely "better" value to users. This value could be:

• Higher efficiency: Using your product, a task that took 1 hour now takes 10 minutes.
• Lower cost: For the same result, your solution saves half the money.
• Better experience: Others' products feel like navigating a maze, while yours feels like a smooth slide, effortless all the way.
• Solves an unaddressed pain point: There's a problem everyone has tolerated, thinking it unsolvable, and you've found a solution.

If your "difference" doesn't connect with these "better" aspects, it might just be self-indulgent, and users might not buy into it.

2. Is your "difference" only cool to you, or do your target users genuinely care?

As engineers, we easily fall into the trap of thinking that a technically superior or more elegant implementation makes a good product. But users don't care about the sophisticated architecture behind it; they only care if their problems are solved.

You can do a simple test: Introduce your product to a potential user in one sentence (don't talk about technology, just what it can do for them). Then ask: "For this feature, would you be willing to give up the software/method you're currently using and try mine?"

If they look hesitant and say, "It seems okay, but what I'm using now is also pretty good, I'm too lazy to switch," then your differentiation isn't strong enough. If their eyes light up and they eagerly ask, "Really? When can I use it? That XXX I'm using now is driving me crazy!", then congratulations, you might be onto something.

Remember a harsh reality: getting users to switch from something they're already accustomed to is very costly. Your advantage must be so significant that they feel "I'd be a fool not to switch."

3. On what dimension is your "difference"?

Differentiation isn't just about product features. Often, features might be largely similar across products, but you can build barriers in other dimensions:

• Price differentiation: Are you so cheap that people can't refuse? (Think Pinduoduo)
• Service differentiation: Is your service so good, like Haidilao, that it moves users and makes them indispensable?
• Experience differentiation: Are your design and processes so streamlined that complex tasks become as natural as breathing?
• Niche differentiation: Do you serve only a very specific niche, understanding their needs better than they do themselves? (e.g., a document tool designed specifically for lawyers)
• Brand/community differentiation: Have you built a community where people feel a sense of belonging and pride in using your product? (Think early Apple, Xiaomi)

A quick self-check tip:

Introduce what you've made to a friend. If their first reaction is: "Oh, isn't this just a XX (some existing product)?", then you might need to be careful, as your differentiation isn't immediately apparent.

But if their reaction is: "Holy cow, this is awesome! Doesn't this solve that long-standing problem with XXX?", then your differentiation is very clear.

Finally, don't overthink it and be afraid to start. Many successful products seemed unremarkable when they first launched. The key is whether you can iterate faster than others, listen to users more than others, and gradually refine that initial small "difference" into an insurmountable "barrier."