The 1960s were the age of rebellion. There were chants of "Never trust anyone over 30." And "Make love, not war." While there was a zeal for an emphasis on individualism, everyone tended to look the same. Remember bell-bottoms?

Ironically, it seemed the more people tried to be different, the more they looked the same.

Standing out from the crowd is never easy. It's a lot easier to conform than it is to be your own man (or woman). It's probably the same at your company.

As Tom Reilly, our Strictly for Sales columnist, pointed out in a recent article, if you try to be different by offering a unique service, it doesn't take long for a competitor to copy it. You can't compete effectively if your company or product looks like everyone else's.

Differentiating yourself is the key to your company's success. Ask yourself: Why should customers buy from your company and why should they buy from you?

During a recent sales seminar, the speaker said that if you can't answer those questions in a succinct, clear manner you won't get the sale.

If you were to ask those questions to your salespeople what would their answers be? Would you get the response "we have cheaper prices" or "our products are of higher quality." Maybe.

Buyers already expect you to be competitive on price and, of course, they expect quality. Those are givens, not differentiators. Ironically, buyers tell us that salespeople are the first to mention price and their products are "cheaper" than the competitor.

Is this the fault of the salesperson or sales management? If you've ever attended a sales meeting, you know the sessions often focus on product and product demonstration. Little time is spent on the total "package" that the distributor has to offer his customer. Logistics, value-added services, training, inventory management, and the like often aren't mentioned.

It's time to stand out from your competitor by truly being different. Focus on what you do best and document all the value-added savings you can provide. Keep the bell-bottoms in the closet and carve out your own niche based on the services your company prides itself on. It just might work and help you increase your bottom line.

Jack Keough EDITOR/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER jkeough@reedbusiness.com