Why Most Brands Fail to Stand Out Today
Branding drives growth. Learn how clear positioning helps your business stand out, build trust, and win more customers with Jason Sherwood.
Words by
Carl J. Cox
Why Most Businesses Sound the Same (And How to Fix It) If your customers cannot clearly describe what makes you different, you have a problem. Most businesses think they are unique. But when you look at their messaging, it sounds just like everyone else. That leads to one outcome—price competition. In this episode of the Measure Success Podcast, Carl sits down with Jason Sherwood, founder of Phase 23, to talk about branding, positioning, and how businesses can stand out in a changing market. This conversation is simple, practical, and direct. It focuses on what actually works.
The Market Has Changed
Search is no longer what it used to be.
For years, businesses focused on SEO. They built websites, wrote content, and tried to rank on Google. That worked.
Now, search is shifting toward AI tools. Customers are asking questions in tools instead of typing keywords into search engines.
That changes how businesses get found.
But here is the key point:
Even with all this change, one thing stays the same.
Your message must connect.
If your message is not clear, no tool will fix that.
The Real Problem: Lack of Clarity
Most businesses cannot clearly explain what they do and why it matters.
Jason shares a simple exercise:
Call your three best customers.
Ask them to describe your company in two words.
What do they say?
If the answers are different, your positioning is not clear.
That lack of clarity creates real problems:
Customers do not understand your value
Sales conversations take longer
Marketing does not convert
You compete on price
Clarity is not a “nice to have.” It drives revenue.
Why Businesses Compete on Price
When your message sounds like your competitors, customers have no reason to choose you.
Jason, Owner of Phase 23, gives a real example. A company compared its messaging to competitors. Every message was the same.
Same claims. Same language. Same positioning.
When that happens, the only difference is price.
That is a race to the bottom.
Instead, you need to own a clear position.
The Power of Positioning
Strong brands own a lane.
Think about running shoes:
Nike = fast and proven
Brooks = comfort and injury prevention
Hoka = cushioning and easy miles
Each brand stands for something clear.
Customers understand it without thinking.
That is the goal.
The Two-Word Positioning Exercise
Jason breaks positioning down into a simple idea: two words.
It sounds simple, but it is not easy.
Your two-word position must be:
Customer-based (not internal opinion)
Specific (not generic)
Proven (not aspirational)
Consistent (customers agree on it)
If you can define this, you create clarity.
That clarity drives everything:
Branding
Marketing
Sales
Competing the Right Way
Many businesses try to copy competitors.
That feels safe. But it does not work.
Instead, look for gaps.
Jason uses a sports example:
You do not attack your opponent’s strongest area. You find where they are weak and win there.
The same applies in business.
You do not need to beat competitors at everything.
You need to win somewhere.
Branding, Marketing, and Sales
These are not the same thing.
Carl breaks it down:
Branding creates attraction
Marketing generates leads
Sales closes deals
If your brand is unclear, the rest breaks down.
You may have a strong sales team.
You may run good marketing campaigns.
But if your message does not connect, growth stalls.
Trust Matters More Than Ever
As AI grows, trust becomes more important.
Customers can find answers anywhere. But they still need confidence in who they choose.
Jason makes this clear:
People want to know you will show up when things go wrong.
That trust comes from:
Clear messaging
Consistent delivery
Strong relationships
Technology can scale your reach.
Trust drives your growth.
A Real Example of Transformation
Carl shares a story about a client.
They started as a small, local business. Their brand was unclear. Their growth was limited.
Through this process, they changed how they saw themselves.
They clarified their strengths.
They defined their position.
They built a roadmap for growth.
The result?
New energy.
Clear direction.
Confidence to grow.
This is what strong branding does.
The Role of Strategy
Clarity creates momentum.
When you know where you are and where you want to go, decisions become easier.
Without clarity:
Teams stay stuck
Efforts get scattered
Growth slows
With clarity:
Teams align
Execution improves
Results follow
Hard Truths for Business Owners
This process is not always comfortable.
You may find:
Your messaging is weak
Your positioning is unclear
Your team is not ready for the next level
But that truth creates opportunity.
You cannot improve what you do not face.
What You Can Do Next
Start simple.
Ask your customers:
“How would you describe us in two words?”
Look for patterns.
If the answers are unclear, that is your starting point.
From there:
Define your position
Align your message
Build your strategy
Final Thought
You do not need to do everything.
You need to do the right things.
Clarity is one of them.
If you get this right, everything else moves faster.
Call to Action
Listen to the full episode to learn how to define your position, strengthen your brand, and grow your business with clarity.
