How to differentiate your business in the marketplace – with Adrian Pickstock
What is your business strategy? Who is your core customer? What do your clients want from your business? Do they truly value what you offer?
If your business is going to stand out and be ready to capitalise when the market picks up, you need to know the answers to these questions. Join us at our 2025 ACE New Zealand SME Summit this May where Quad Consulting Director Adrian Pickstock will guide you to build a more valuable business by creating a strategy that truly differentiates it in today’s market.
We asked Adrian how he’ll help SMEs prepare to take advantage of changing market conditions so that they’re ready to roll when the tide turns.
What will your session explore?
"I will take delegates through different approaches to help them determine how they can differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
"This starts with our definition of strategy defined by Michael Porter of Harvard Business School as creating a unique and valuable position in the marketplace. He argues that businesses must create a unique value proposition that sets them apart from their rivals and creates a barrier to entry. This requires a deep understanding of their customers' needs and preferences, and the ability to deliver a product or service that meets those needs better than anyone else.
"We often discuss strategic thinking and execution planning, but these are two distinct areas. Many businesses fail to dedicate enough time to focusing exclusively on their strategy, so we’ll begin the session by clarifying the distinction between the two and highlighting the importance of making that distinction. As a leadership team, we must prioritise time for strategy; without it, we risk placing our ladder against the wrong wall, reacting blindly to the market. Before we can execute, we must first ensure we know where we’re headed. This is the foundation of our strategy.
"I’ll then step the audience through several things they need to consider to work towards creating a differentiated strategy."
Why is this beneficial, especially in the current market?
"Many clients are anticipating a market turnaround in the second half of this year, so now is the time to prepare your business for that shift. You don’t want to be scrambling for a strategy in October or November; you want to define it now so that you’re in a strong position to capitalise when the market picks up.
"This isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. Businesses need to give it careful consideration and test various approaches to find what works. If you haven’t already started this process, it’s crucial to act now. As Steve Jobs famously said, he was surprised by how long it took to become an overnight success!
"What often emerges from these discussions is that businesses don’t truly know their market. For example, when I speak with professional service companies, many have been in the industry for years but still don’t fully understand what their clients need from them. They’ve developed a narrative over time but have never validated it. The first step is to engage with your clients and ask if what you’re offering is genuinely valuable to them. Once this is clear, the business can then begin to determine how to differentiate itself.
"I’ll get delegates to start by being very clear about their core customer – who is it that they really need to chase? The question we ask is who is buying for optimal profit?"
What will be the key takeaways for the audience?
"There will be three standout takeaways:
- I’ll lead delegates through the steps to identify their core customer.
- We’ll establish ways to create a differentiated strategy
- I’ll then step them though the process to identify their brand promise – the key to achieving pricing power."