Too many businesses and institutions try to explain their value by comparing themselves to someone else.
“We’re like [insert big brand], but faster.”
“We’re similar to [competitor], but more affordable.”
“We’re a lot like them, but with better service.”
At first, comparison feels like a shortcut. It gives your audience a reference point. It sounds familiar. It feels safe.
But here’s the truth:
Comparison rarely creates clarity. It creates confusion.
And it almost always dilutes the message you actually want to deliver.
The Trap of Comparison
We reach for comparisons when we are unsure of how to articulate what makes us different.
We lean on someone else’s identity to try and explain our own.
But when you define your value by referencing someone else, you give away the power of your own position.
Think about it this way:
A Mustang and a Ferrari both have four wheels and an engine.
But no one confuses the two.
If your message is built around sounding like someone else, it stops being yours.
You start chasing trends instead of building trust.
You start sounding familiar instead of distinct.
And in crowded spaces—whether it’s higher education, nonprofit work, or small business branding—sounding familiar is the fastest way to be forgotten.
What Clarity Sounds Like
Clarity is not about being flashy.
It is about being sure.
A clear brand voice creates trust because it knows who it is speaking to and what it is offering.
When your message is clear, you do not have to explain it three different ways.
You do not need to hedge, soften, or apologize.
You speak directly, with purpose and confidence.
Clarity gives your internal team a shared direction.
It helps your audience know what to expect.
And it creates space for connection—because the message actually lands.
How to Find Your Clarity
Finding your message is not about crafting the perfect tagline.
It is about stepping back and asking the right questions.
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What do we actually believe?
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Who are we really here for?
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What do our people need to hear—not what sounds good, but what feels true?
Sometimes clarity means saying less.
Sometimes it means stopping the comparison game and trusting that your difference is the message.
The more you trust your own voice, the less you will feel the need to explain it.
So how do you know if your brand message is clear enough to stand on its own?
Start with these three questions:
3 Questions to Reinforce Your Brand Clarity
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Is this message rooted in who we truly are—without comparing us to anyone else?
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Does it speak directly to the people we’re trying to reach, in words they’ll recognize and trust?
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Can our audience quickly understand what we stand for and why it matters?