Blockchain isn’t just a technical breakthrough — it’s a business inflection point. But beyond the noise, how should key players rise above the buzz? We've seven ideas...
Blockchain isn’t just a technical breakthrough — it’s a business inflection point. But, like "AI," too many companies treat it like a badge of innovation rather than a strategic lever.
In a market full of noise, hype, and lookalike offerings, the winners aren’t the ones shouting the loudest. They’re the ones who define a clear position, speak their customers’ language, and tie technology to outcomes investors actually care about.
There’s a lot of noise in the space. In advising a blockchain products and services client, I’ve come across a number of like companies, and some stand out more than others. Some are solely tech focused, which could leave decision makers (potential users and clients) wondering what the value is.
And there is tremendous value in it. Beyond the buzz and hype. But what’s most important?
Help your markets close the circle: Here are seven strategic focus areas that separate well-positioned blockchain (and even some tech companies in general) from the rest. Use them to build a business that’s not just innovative — but investable, scalable, and built to last.
1. Strategic Clarity: Tie Blockchain to Business Value
Blockchain is not the strategy. It’s a means to an end.
The companies that stand out are the ones that make a direct connection between their technology and what the business cares about — faster revenue cycles, lower costs, better compliance, stronger customer trust.
If you can’t explain how your blockchain solution moves a key metric or business outcome, you don’t have a position. You have a feature.
What to do:
Start with the outcome, then work backward. Define use cases that align with revenue, margin, or efficiency goals. Publish case studies showing measurable results—faster transactions, lower fraud rates, streamlined operations. Make it easy for investors and enterprise buyers to see the upside.
2. Vertical Differentiation: Own a Category, Not Just a Capability
Trying to serve every use case means standing for none. Broad focus dilutes credibility. The fastest-growing blockchain companies aren’t generalists — they’re deep specialists.
Whether it’s tokenized real estate, ESG-compliant supply chains, or cross-border payments for SMBs, owning a niche builds authority. It also shortens sales cycles, clarifies messaging, and attracts the right investors.
What to do:
Pick a vertical where your team’s strengths, market gaps, and long-term demand intersect. Especially on the industry focus. Then go all in. Develop specialized messaging, customer proof points, and product features tailored to that vertical. Speak directly to that industry’s pain — and position your company as the one that understands it best.
3. Thought Leadership & Authority: Lead with Insight, Not Hype
For blockchain offerings, authority isn’t claimed — it’s earned. The companies building long-term traction are the ones educating their markets, not just marketing to them.
That means contributing real insight to the conversation. The blockchain players and related audiences are especially active on social. But it’s not just about posting on social, but publishing ideas that shape how your audience thinks about the future.
When you lead with substance (and there’s PLENTY of substance in blockchain), you build trust. And trust attracts the right clients, investors, and talent.
What to do:
Invest in content that actually says something. It moves YOU. It answers WHY, not just the WHAT. Publish data-backed whitepapers, not just trend pieces. Share real-world lessons, not just product updates. Host conversations with voices your audience already respects. And engage consistently — authority compounds.
4. ROI-Driven Messaging: Speak the Language of Outcomes
No one buys blockchain for the sake of blockchain. They buy outcomes. Or at least the right, educated audiences looking for the long term buy for outcomes. The steak, not just the sizzle.
Your messaging should make it obvious what those outcomes are: lower costs, reduced risk, improved margins, better compliance, increased transparency, or faster time to value.
Executives don’t need to know how your tech works — they need to know what it does for the business. In their words. In their measurements. In their KPIs.
What to do:
Reframe your value proposition in financial terms. Don’t say “distributed ledger” — say “eliminates reconciliation errors and saves X hours per week.” Build ROI calculators. Create customer stories that quantify impact. Your goal: make the business case so clear it feels like a no-brainer.
5. Blue Ocean Mindset: Go Where Others Aren’t
Most blockchain startups are still chasing the same well-trodden markets — DeFi, NFTs, digital identity. That’s where the noise is. And it’s worthy. It’s also where margin and differentiation go to die. If you play in this space, and you’ve a strong entry, great. What’s going to make you stand out?
The real opportunity? Underserved sectors with clear problems blockchain is uniquely positioned to solve. That might mean logistics in emerging markets, energy validation, or long-tail compliance challenges in heavily regulated industries.
Blue ocean thinking isn’t about being contrarian for the sake of it. It’s about finding places where you can lead instead of compete.
What to do:
Run regular market gap analyses. Talk to customers who aren’t yet on the blockchain bandwagon and ask why. Look at friction-heavy workflows in industries with high trust or transparency requirements. These are often prime for disruption — but overlooked by trend-chasers.
6. Dual-Language Communication: Align Technical Credibility with Business Relevance
The companies that scale successfully are bilingual. They earn trust with technical audiences by demonstrating depth — and earn buy-in from business stakeholders by translating that depth into business relevance.
Too much tech talk alienates decision-makers. Too much sales talk loses engineers. (And too much presenting from Powerpoint slides never sold anything by itself.) You need both.
What to do:
Equip your team to communicate on two levels. Sales decks should have both a high-level business story and a supporting technical appendix. Create content for multiple audiences—whitepapers for analysts, case studies for execs, technical documentation for developers. And most importantly, ensure your internal teams are aligned on how to talk about your value across the funnel.
7. Long-Term Sustainability: Build for the Future You Want to Lead
Sustainability isn’t just about ESG checkboxes — it’s about staying power. Yes, this still matters. It’s now more about HOW it matters.
Investors and enterprise buyers are asking harder questions: Will this scale? Is it compliant? Will it survive the next regulatory wave or funding winter?
Companies that answer those questions early earn more than just funding. They earn trust — and a long runway.
What to do:
Bake sustainability into your product roadmap. Build compliance and governance into your core architecture, not as a bolt-on. Stay ahead of regulatory shifts. And if ESG factors are part of your story, quantify the impact — not just because it looks good, but because it shows you’re thinking three moves ahead.
Positioning Isn’t Optional — It’s the Strategy that Feeds Growth
In a space moving as fast as blockchain, positioning isn’t a branding exercise. It’s your market strategy. It defines who you serve, why you matter, and how you grow.
At BrownRobinson, we work with forward-thinking founders, investors, and enterprise teams to help them communicate with clarity, differentiate with precision, and grow with intention.
We’re helping high-growth tech companies align their vision with the market, and turning positioning into a growth engine — supported by deep marketing strategy, AI-powered workflows, and execution that doesn’t miss.
If you’re building a blockchain or tech company with long-term ambition — and need thoughtful positioning that reflects it — let’s talk.