Most companies make the same mistakes when trying to differentiate their brand, products and services:

1. They look inward, not outward – Differentiation isn’t about “making up” your company’s difference, it’s finding what objectively, authentically sets it apart. Understanding what customers / consumers need and discovering how your product / service fulfills them (or not) is the best place to start. Successful brands spur conversations and build movements.
2. They don't engage – Despite all the lessons learned from social media, only 16% of companies fully integrate social media. Actively engaging with customers/consumers in a two-way dialogue differentiates brands from static, one-way communicators.
3. They aren't bold – They pay homage to the God of Safe. Don’t speak colorfully. Never take risks. Don’t invest time expressing visually (with video, infographics, images). Why tell stories when you can recite facts? Always be business-like and never reveal a human side.
4. They shy away from competition – This one always surprises me because at the C-level – and in the sales trenches – companies constantly sweat the challenges of competition, winning and losing deals. But instead of acknowledging the existence of competition, most companies shy away, acting like theirs is the only candy in the shop. Facing up to competition doesn’t mean companies have to name names or be arrogant. There are many ways to communicate differences in a professional yet more meaningful way.
5. They aren't relevant – To become (and remain) relevant, brands need to fully engage sensory, social and emotional elements ... not just the rational. When something is relevant, the brand, product or cause becomes part of who we are. We self-identify and move from passive to involved, from indifferent to eager, and are willing (and eager) to act (buy, vote, recommend, etc.).
6. They don't prove it – It’s one thing to convey competence; it’s another to offer up proof. Getting customers/consumers to express their views about your company/service in first-person language has a profound impact: it enables prospects to relate because they interpret your brand through a more personal lens.
7. They don't focus on one thing – As companies attempt to zero-in on their customer-centric benefits, they compile long lists of capabilities and attributes. But they often fail to whittle all this down to one believable, sustainable advantage. Less is more – standing for one thing creates memorability.

I witnessed the fourth show of Bruce Springsteen’s new Wrecking Ball tour last night.
 
“Witnessed” is a carefully chosen word because it conjures the fervor of his concerts. He performs, yes, but he also testifies, and his adoring, faithful congregation (ranging from teens to octogenerians) responds in kind. It’s something to behold: a single hand movement from Springsteen yields an instant, intended response.
 
The dozen or so times I’ve seen him, I’ve marveled at the obvious: his energy level, powerful voice, under-appreciated guitar playing, engaging personality and songwriting. But this time – thinking back over the two hour and forty minute concert – I was struck by his relevance. Despite being 62 years old and having created 17 albums over forty years, he’s more relevant than ever. How does he do it? Here are eight relevance lessons from the Boss:
 
He’s a thought leader – read the cover story from the recent Rolling Stone magazine to discover a man who’s well connected with the world around him and not afraid to express a point of view. Bruce has tackled controversial topics throughout his 40-year career, sometimes stirring negative reactions, but he never backs down. He did it again last night when he played “American Skin” (41 shots), a song inspired by the police shooting death of Amadou Diallo in 2000. Speculation suggests he may have been making a statement about the recent shooting of Trayvon Martin.
 
His values define him – Bruce told Jon Stewart in RS, “In my music – if it has a purpose beyond dancing and fun and vacuuming your floor to it – I always try to gauge the distance between American reality and the American dream.” Bruce began this journey in 1972 when he signed his first record contract with Columbia; it continues today with Wrecking Ball, his latest album.
 
He’s social – Bruce doesn’t sit still, doesn’t keep to himself. He’s a social animal who enjoys camaraderie and conversation. In an age of social media where the word “community” is fast becoming cliché, Springsteen has sustained an avidly engaged community that keeps expanding. One measure (besides selling over 120 million albums) is his social media presence. He has 2,179,654 “likes” on Facebook and 157,843 Twitter followers. Bruce is keeping the conversation alive, staying current in a digital age. He’s no Lady Gaga (with 49 million Facebook likes) but he’s definitely in the game.
 
He’s sensory – Bruce may be a biological 62, but watching him perform, I marvel at his twenty-something dexterity, strength and flexibility. Whether it’s sliding across the stage on his knees or bending backwards to the floor while holding a floor stand microphone, this guy logs hours in the gym to remain physically relevant. He’s a best case example of how staying fit keeps us young.
 
He’s an innovator – a handful of artists were creative enough to continually transform their music, taking risks, pushing in new directions. The Beatles morphed in amazing ways over a too-short nine-year span; “I want to hold your hand” sounded nothing like “Day Tripper” which sounded nothing like “A day in the life.” Bruce is in this pantheon. The rambling lyrical style of “Greetings from Asbury Park” morphed into the tighter pop structure of “Born to Run,” which was re-shaped to “Nebraska” starkness and later to the Americana-influenced “We shall overcome: The Seeger sessions.” One of the new songs from Wrecking Ball – “Rocky Ground” – features a hip hop interlude, something Springsteen has never done.
 
It’s about us, not him – We brought two friends to the concert who had never seen him. I explained how Bruce feeds off the audience and exists to give each person a gift. “It’s never about him, it’s about you,” I said, explaining how Springsteen is passionate about making sure everyone has a good time, gets their money’s worth and leaves happy. When the show was over I said, “Now you’ve been baptized.” They grinned and understood.
 
He’s more than music – I’m not hung up on awards; sometimes the gods get it right, often they don’t. But Springsteen was robbed in 2003 when “The Rising” failed to win the Grammy for Best Album (he lost to Norah Jones). Inspired by the September 11 attacks, Springsteen had created an inspirational LP that helped us heal. It was musical catharsis; it was more than an album. His giving spirit has impacted a wide range of organizations, from Amnesty International to the Rainforest Foundation Fund to WhyHunger. He endorses a local charity at every concert: last night it was the Boston Food Project. He’s raised – and given away – millions.
 
He’s the best kind of brand – Great brands create a feeling, a meaningful personal connection that sticks. We want to associate with that brand because it’s part of who we are, how we view ourselves. That’s why he’s more relevant than ever

Companies create thought leadership to forge a differentiated position for themselves. By developing compelling high-level ideas, the organization creates competitive advantage because the marketplace perceives its creator as a visionary seer and interpreter: a company shaping the agenda vs. responding. Great thought leadership campaigns create an offensive vs. defensive position and build brands.
 
Here’s what you need to know to become a thought leader:
1. Look outward, not inward – Begin by creating a big picture idea with relevance to targeted stakeholders. The idea isn’t myopically focused; it has appeal to others outside your company. While it doesn’t have to speak to a vast universe, it must resonate with a relevant market or market segment. Pervasive thought leadership platforms cleverly rise above (A) a company, (B) its products, (C) its technologies, and (D) its services. Ways you can develop thought leadership include: (a) talk to consumers/customers and uncover what they’re worried about/thinking about; (b) study your competition to find untapped content zones; (c) share what you know including lessons learned, marketplace insight and even a little IP; (d) discover the “unmet need” and forge a viewpoint on how to meet it; and (e) conduct original research.
 2.Take a stance – If your organization is trying to get noticed, don’t be boring. Color and controversy are good things; you’re trying to catalyze an active, recurring conversation.
 3.Create forward appeal – Memorable thought leadership isn’t a rehash of where things have been, it’s a brilliant definition of how things should be and where they should be headed. It’s a desired state with emphasis on benefits. It’s a new, fresh idea.
 4.Have a long life – You’re not creating a short-lived advertising tagline or a bumper sticker …it’s a definitional stake-in-the-ground for sustained corporate messaging. IBM’s Smarter Planet is a great example – it has topical and distribution “legs,” and thus can last a long time.
 5.Create compelling content regularly – Today’s effective thought leaders understand the power of creating a steady flow of original content that’s clever and can be distributed across traditional and social outlets. Look no further than McKinsey…they publish five journals on a regular basis including the McKinsey Quarterly. Content should be diversified…from video and blogs to events and website to images and advertising to research and published articles.
 6.Push the ball up the floor – Great thought leaders don’t sit back and say, “Give me a call when you want to talk about this idea.” They’re bold, aggressive and in-your-face. They leverage social media and digital platforms to proliferate ideas, stimulate conversations and build community.
 7.It’s people, not just ideas – Compelling thought leadership involves ideas and content, yes, but also people. Carefully chosen spokespersons personify thought leadership ideas and help gain traction. Klout.com made noise with its “Klout Scale” which measures online influence. People personify ideas, and in today’s digital age, they come in a wide variety:

  8.Be open to envy – Effective thought leadership ideas are embraced (sometimes readily) by others. The ideas are so strong and compelling that direct competitors may overtly or indirectly respond to and co-opt the idea.
 9.Make a difference - For the bold and socially minded, there’s an even higher state of thought leadership. Companies can rise above their own market niches (and self-interests) by authentically making their world a better place to live. Cases in point: TOMS Shoes, Stonyfield Farms and Brighter Planet. These for-profit entities give back and make a difference. Consumers, in turn, endorse these brands with their pocketbooks, preferring to do business with companies supporting a broader vision.
 10.Don’t forget natural search and lead gen – Thought leadership is cannon fire; lead gen is rifle shot. As your organization is increasingly perceived as a thought leader, people will seek out your perspective and will be open to registering for content access. The two feed off each other.