Differentiation Over Improvement

        ### The Big Idea

Being *different* beats being *better*. You don't win by out-competing — you win by standing apart.

## Key Ideas to Use in Marketing Prompts

### 1. The Differentiation Principle

- Stop trying to outperform competitors on the same dimensions they're already winning on
- Create your own category instead of fighting for position in someone else's
- "Weird" is an asset, not a liability

### 2. The Mona Lisa Metaphor

- A perfect copy of something valuable is worthless
- "Enhancing" a copy (adding a mustache) makes it even less valuable
- Original work — even imperfect — holds more value than polished imitation

### 3. The Strategic Shift

- **Old thinking:** Best tactic → best script → best strategy → win
- **New thinking:** Different angle → unique positioning → own category → win

## Prompt-Ready Phrases

Use these to guide AI when writing marketing copy:

- Position this as a category of one, not a competitor in a crowded field
- Emphasize what makes this different, weird, or unusual, not just what makes it good
- Avoid comparison-based claims — focus on what's uniquely different
- Don't try to be the best version of something that already exists — be something new
- Lead with the unconventional angle, not the conventional benefit

## Application for Marketing Material

When writing copy, ask:

1. What makes this *different* — not just better?
2. What's the "weird" angle we're not leaning into?
3. Are we copying the Mona Lisa or creating new art?
4. Are we competing on their terms or ours?