Labels like "trusted advisor" mean nothing to clients. Explain the invisible work you actually do every day, and that becomes your value.
The idea
Ask agents what makes them valuable and you get labels like "trusted advisor." Those are perceived values: what we tell ourselves, as opposed to what we do. As we put it in my coaching, "'Trusted Advisor' is a bad saying." Actual value is the work you do all day, and clients don't know about it. Use what you do and explain it as value. Differentiation is easy once you move from perceived value to articulating what you actually do.
How to do it
Stop assuming people know what you do.
Build a narrative around the most common behind-the-scenes things you do for clients.
Upgrade generic offers by layering on specifics that reflect your values.
When someone asks what makes you different, say less. We tend to oversell and talk too much.
Example
From our real estate coaching: "market report" is generic. "A market report sponsored by a nonprofit in that community" says something about you. "I use an open house app" becomes "I run a digital open house with remarketing campaigns to the most interested buyers." Same work, now visible.
Sources
From Zvi's coaching program
Related frameworks
The What's Broken Method: List everything customers hate about your industry, then show how you fix each one. Become the fixer.
The 5 and 5: List five things you do for each type of client that no one else does. Start with one for each and build from there.
Three Channels of Uniqueness: Every exposure people have to you can show three things: your unique value, your unique voice, and the market you serve best.
Market Experiences, Not Expertise: Before sending content, ask "can they Google it?" If yes, share your own experience instead; it shows your expertise without the pitch.