As marketers we have historically relied on material advantages to differentiate our products and services, then used them to persuade customers to buy them. If your product is lighter or more energy efficient, the thinking goes, then you’re giving customers a logical reason to choose your brand over your competitor’s.

In an age of product parity quality is a given and we rely on facts to persuade much more than we should. Data helps people to affirm their irrational choices but it does not drive their decisions.

Your goal isn’t to prove that you’re better—it’s to be so good that people are not even considering another option.

Image by Len Radin.