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If you’ve struggled to pinpoint what makes your agency different than all the others, you’re not alone. It’s one of those questions that feel like it should have an obvious answer — but thanks to self-doubt, imposter syndrome, or any of the other forces we fight against, many of us tell ourselves were not as talented, experienced, or accomplished as the competition.

Being “just another” agency in our space makes it really hard to get leads, especially good ones.

But standing out doesn’t require you to boast and brag about being the best. In fact, it’s not about screaming louder; it’s about having something meaningful and specific to say.

This week I tried a bit of an experiment inside the community. Instead of asking, “What makes you different?” — a question that often leads to blank stares — I asked something else:

“What are some common behaviors or practices by other agencies and freelancers in our industry that really frustrate you or give us all a bad name?”

Because this question doesn’t require us to be too introspective or boastful, the responses poured in. Not only in large numbers, with with strong conviction — which is exactly what I had hoped for.

When we see something in our industry that bothers us, it’s often because we are doing the opposite ourselves. This has the potential to be the ground you can stake your flag in as what sets your agency apart.

For example, one comment that stood out was: “Lack of knowing anything about what is and isn’t legal.” If that’s something that frustrates you, maybe it’s because you prioritize compliance and are proactive in navigating those legal waters. That’s a powerful differentiator — something your clients won’t even know to look for unless you tell them.

Or the classic frustration: “Disappearing during a project timeline or not taking deadlines seriously.” If you pride yourself on being responsive, reliable, and deadline-driven, why not make that front and center in your messaging? Show your process, make guarantees, and prove to your clients you have a history of delivering on budget and on time.

Here’s another good one: “Overbuilding a brochure site and leaving the client with something they can’t easily update.” If user-friendly builds and empowering clients to manage their own site are your thing, clients need to know about that.

What’s great about this strategy is you are often alerting clients to potential problems they may have not otherwise considered. And there you are, with your flag firmly planted in the ground showing them you are one step ahead.

These responses aren’t just gripes about our industry, they are a mirror showing you what you do best.