An iPhone looks basically like a Samsung. There, I said it. Flat vertical rectangles with rounded corners. For all the hype, the bluster, they’re similar looking devices built to have nearly identical functions. There have been smartphones which don’t look like this. If you’re bored enough check out the Nokia 7280, the Siemens Xelibri 6, the N-Gage QD, or the slightly more conventional ZTE Axon M. You’ll see how those are distinct.

By the same token, a 1934 coupe by Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Studebaker… well you can tell from the picture they all benefit from the same silhouette. Sure, you can spot the differences- if you know what to look for.

Chances are you also look a lot like your competitors. Not necessarily to you of course, but possibly to your potential clients. Don’t make them play the “spot the differences” game. The first step of not looking the same is to deeply examine the other firms in your industry and geography.

Here’s some things you can do to start sizing up your competition:

Look at their website. Go through the pages. See how they differentiate themselves… is that how you do it?

If it seems weird that you are both “differentiating” yourself in the same way, it’s because neither of you are doing much to stand out. That said, it’s as common as smartphones, so don’t feel bad about it.

Check out the jobs they’ve posted. A