Two years ago, a client called me panicked.
"Our competitors are stealing all our deals," he said. "They're charging 3x more and still winning."
I knew exactly what was happening.
There was a gap between how they saw themselves and how customers saw them.
They thought they were premium consultants, but customers saw them as order-takers.
They thought they were strategic partners, but customers saw them as vendors.
They thought they were innovative, but customers saw them as generic.
This perception gap kills more businesses than bad products ever will.
To fix this, we first mapped their brand identity — how they wanted to be perceived. Then we surveyed their customers about actual perceptions.
The gap was massive.
But gaps create opportunities.
Every perception problem is a positioning problem. Every positioning problem is a messaging problem. Every messaging problem is solvable.
We used the competitive analysis framework:
Listed their top 5 competitors.
Mapped each one on two axes: Price vs Innovation.
Suddenly, we saw a clear positioning opportunity.
All competitors were either high-price/low-innovation or low-price/low-innovation.
Nobody owned high-innovation/fair-price.
That became their new position.
The messaging shifted from "We do consulting" to "We solve problems others can't."
Website copy changed from features to outcomes.
Sales conversations focused on unique approaches.
Case studies highlighted innovation, not just results.
Six months later? Average deal size doubled.
Win rate against competitors went from 30% to 70%.
Here's what most brands miss: They assume customers see what they see.
They don't.
Customers see what you show them consistently.
If you show them average work, they assume you're average.
If you show them commodity pricing, they assume you're a commodity.
If you show them standard processes, they assume you're standard.
Your brand is not what you say it is. Your brand is what customers believe it is.
Based on every interaction they have with you, either closes the gap or widens it.
Gap analysis isn't a one-time exercise. Markets change. Competitors evolve. Customer needs shift.
The gap between identity and image changes too.
Smart brands monitor this constantly. They know where they stand in customers' minds. They know where they want to be. And they have a plan to close the gap.
Most brands operate blind.
They guess at positioning.
They assume messaging works.
They wonder why competitors keep winning.
Don't be most brands.
Know your gap.
Close your gap.
Win your market.
— Shashank
P.S.
The Gap Analysis toolkit in Brand Engine Email Cohort includes perception surveys, competitive mapping templates, and positioning frameworks.
It's the difference between guessing and knowing where you stand. 19 spots remain for the October cohort.