This insights post is a summary of the blog post published by Abel Communications. View the full insight at: Your Category Is Boring. Your Narrative Doesn’t Have to Be.
For companies in public relations and professional services, competing for business through an RFP is no longer just competing on capabilities. If your RFP sounds like everyone else’s, you’re not losing on price—you’re losing on story. In an RFP, every firm promises “excellence,” “innovation,” and “client-first approach.” It is hard to differentiate your company because you sound exactly the same as the competitors.
The real differentiator isn’t what you do—it’s the story you tell about why it matters.
When Everyone Uses the Same Approach
Professional services firms—whether accounting, legal, finance, or consulting—face a unique challenge when trying to stand out. Unlike consumer brands, a firms core services remain fundamentally unchanged. But here’s what most firms miss:
Your category might be standardized, but your perspective doesn’t have to be.
The companies winning in crowded markets aren’t the ones with marginally better service or slightly lower prices. They’re the ones with a distinct point of view that makes prospects think, “These people get it. They see the world the way we do.”
The Missing Ingredient: Your “Why” Is Your Weapon
Most professional services firms can articulate what they do and how they do it. Few can compellingly answer why they exist beyond making money.
This isn’t about crafting a feel-good mission statement to hang in the lobby. It’s about identifying the fundamental belief that drives your firm’s approach to work.
This is not a vision statement or a philosophy; it’s practical differentiation. This approach helps you to transforms from a vendor into a strategic partner.
Creating Your Platform for Attention
Once you’ve identified your purpose, you need a vehicle to express it—what we call your platform or big idea activation. This isn’t a tagline or a one-off media opportunity. It’s an ongoing narrative engine that generates news, starts conversations, and positions you as the authority in your specific worldview.
Think of it as your firm’s editorial platform—a lens through which you comment on trends, respond to market shifts, and showcase your expertise in ways that go beyond service descriptions.
These platforms do three critical things:
- Generate News
- Demonstrate Expertise
- Create Conversation
The Narrative Advantage
When every firm can claim similar credentials, your narrative will help you to stand out. It’s the difference between being evaluated against a checklist or being referred and sought out as a partner. Between competing on price and commanding a premium. Between winning on technicalities and winning on conviction.
To get more details and insights, see the full post at: Your Category Is Boring. Your Narrative Doesn’t Have to Be.
