In yesterday's email I mentioned how comedy magician Michael Finney stands out from other magicians because of how he performs his magic and the personality he infuses into it, not what he does.

For service providers in businesses where it's easy to copy what you do, how you do it is often the only way you can set yourself apart.

However, there's a problem with differentiating on your “how”: it's difficult for clients to see that difference up front so they know they should hire you.

If your “what” is different – ie you do something that others don't – then that's easy for them to see in advance. If they want it, they'll hire you.

But if they get a better experience from working from you, if you can set up a better relationship with them, then that's difficult to prove in advance. Everyone says they deliver great service and build wonderful relationships.

Here are three strategies you can use to get your “better how” more visible in advance.

Firstly, you can let potential clients experience what it's like to work with you. In Michael Finney's case, he got the booking because he'd appreared at the convention a decade earlier and the organisers knew just how good he was because they'd seen him in action. He also has a variety of showcase videos available all over the web from his TV and some of his stage appearances.

As a professional service provider your work is often done behind closed doors. But you can do presentations. Capture bits of your workshops on video. Offer bite-sized versions of your services that are easy to buy and give potential clients a “test drive” of what it would be like to work with you.

How can you let clients experience what it's like to work with you – so they can feel the difference? 

Secondly, you can let others tell your potential clients about how different you are to work with. This is particularly effective in a closed community like the world of magic. The organisers of last week's event are already asking around for recommendations for next year's convention.

Referrals, introductions and testimonials are all familiar ways of getting your difference across to potential clients in a believable way. But they need to be combined with the third strategy.

Strategy three is to translate your unique “how” into the results it delivers.

New clients aren't out looking for an experience. They're out looking for better results in their business and personal life. So you need to lead with that.

Later on, they often stay or buy again because of the experience. But initially it's not tangible enough.

If you're describing how you're different you need not only to prove that difference (through testimonials for example), you need to spell out how that difference will impact their bottom line.

In Michael Finney's case, his humour and personality gives the audience the night of their lives. They're in stiches during his act.

In your case if you're claiming that you understand your client's business better than your competitors (for example) then spell out exactly how that enables you to save them more costs or grow their revenue more. Get a quote from a client saying not only that you understood them better than anyone else, but showing how that difference led to a tangible business result for them.

If your customer service is better, how does that impact the bottom line of your clients? Less wasted time? Faster results? You've got to spell it out and prove it

As a client, in many ways I don't care that you're different. I care how that difference gives me a better result. And I want you to prove it.