1. Marketing Purpose Statement
2. Talking Logo
3. Core Message
The most powerful marketing strategy has little to do with advertising, direct mail, web sites or referrals. Before any of those things will have any impact on your business, you've got to uncover and communicate a way in which your business is different from every other business that says they do what you do.
YOU MUST discover and commit to something that allows your firm to differentiate itself in the minds of your prospects. Once this is done, you must create a Core Message that allows you to communicate this difference. Otherwise, you become a commodity business.
The problem with residing in the commodity business is that your prospects can't identify some specific way in which your firm is unique, thus they will default to the only thing that they can measure - price.
Price is the worst place to compete. Someone will always be willing to go out of business faster than you.
Differentiation can't be in price, quality, or good service. These are all expectations. The difference needs to be in the way you do business; the way you package your product, sell your product or service, or do a finishing touch that no one does. The difference has to be in the experience you provide.
The Core Message Process:
One of the writer's favorite ways to differentiate is to offer an astonishing warranty or guarantee.
Can you offer a guarantee or warranty that no one else would dare think of offering.
Solve a problem: Is there something that prospects in your market fear or seem to believe is universal for what you do? (i.e. Construction industry: Not on time, not on budget, not clean)
The writer gave an example of a construction company who's clients appreciated most how they always left the job site at the end of the day. They always left the site tidy and clean. He began to promote that he owned more Shop Vacs than any other contractor on the planet. He was solving a universal problem of contractors - they leave the site untidy and often dirty. He differentiated himself by leaving it cleaner than he found it.
Ways to communicate your core message:
Create your own over the top customer service system and the word of mouth advertising will flow liberally. Give them more than they asked for. Give them more than you promised. Then leave them with a gift. (This is a brilliant way to get a client talking. Think about it...if you wow the client and go so far above and beyond, they'll look for people to tell. They'll tell family and friends and anyone else they hear talking about a contractor. We may pay a little extra to leave it perfect, but the cost is far less than any form of advertising, and the client is left happy).
Other ways to communicate your core message:
It can often be a good idea to create a questionnaire for clients to answer questions like:
Why did you choose us?
What do we do that others don't?
What's missing from our industry as a whole?
What could we do that would thrill you?
What do you find yourself simply putting up with in this industry?
What would you do if you owned a business like ours?
Remember what you really sell. You don't simply sell your product or service. What you sell is what they are going to get from having your product or service. For example, insurance folks don't sell insurance, they sell peace of mind. Chiropractors don't sell neck adjustments, they sell relief.
Most businesses don't konw what they sell. What do we sell?
We must know what we sell in creating our Core Message.
Marketing Purpose Statement:
Your marketing purpose statement is not meant to be communicated to your client, but rather is meant to be the basis for all your marketing and customer service activity. This is your rallying cry in the boardroom.
A good example he gave might be: "We're custom home remodelers, and we want to be known as the 'we show up when we say, no mess, no trash, we'll make your neighbors happy, contractor'. We've hired the most professional people in the industry and they stand out whenever we compete for business or do work for a customer. We take our Shop Vac into a sales call to help demonstrate our cleanliness."
THIS helps us really articulate what we're after and what we're trying to communicate. Its not just a goal, but an overarching purpose for your business. A Marketing Purpose Statement should give us a vision for the future of our business.
This Marketing Purpose Statement also becomes a bar that decisions are made from for marketing and business decisions.
Do you know your Competition? Can you beat something in your competition? Can you trump them somehow? Know their cause and differentiation so you can better understand yours.
Your cause can be grand or humble, but find it and you will be much more prepared to market to your business, run your business with passion, and hire people who support the cause and help improve and realize the vision for your business. Great causes possess the power for attraction.
You could ensure that no one would ever be afraid of a remodel or building again. Think about that...its common lingo to talk about how "your marriage better be strong if you're going to build." I don't know where that comes from, but that's a belief that's out that...that it can be that difficult and challenging.
What is your organization's purpose for being? Aim high, and let your cause guide you, your pepole, and your clients to greatness.
The Talking Logo.
Your Talking Logo is a tool that allows your firm to communicate verbally the single greatest benefit of doing business with your firm. Its the short statement that quickly communicates your firm's position and force's the listener to want to know more. This is the answer to what we really sell.
Think about your clients or potential clients...they want to know what's in it for them. Don't just tell them what you do, tell them in a way that matters to them.
Your Talking Logo has two distinct parts:
Examples:
Lawyer: "I help contractors stay out of court."
Trainer: "I make weight loss easy."
(I show, I help, I teach)...then (solve problem)
Your Core Marketing Message
Action Steps:
YOU MUST discover and commit to something that allows your firm to differentiate itself in the minds of your prospects. Once this is done, you must create a Core Message that allows you to communicate this difference. Otherwise, you become a commodity business.
The problem with residing in the commodity business is that your prospects can't identify some specific way in which your firm is unique, thus they will default to the only thing that they can measure - price.
Price is the worst place to compete. Someone will always be willing to go out of business faster than you.
Differentiation can't be in price, quality, or good service. These are all expectations. The difference needs to be in the way you do business; the way you package your product, sell your product or service, or do a finishing touch that no one does. The difference has to be in the experience you provide.
The Core Message Process:
- Discover, capture and commit to a unique position
- Create a marketing purpose statement
- Turn your purpose statement into your talking logo
- Create a simple core message to use in all your marketing
One of the writer's favorite ways to differentiate is to offer an astonishing warranty or guarantee.
Can you offer a guarantee or warranty that no one else would dare think of offering.
Solve a problem: Is there something that prospects in your market fear or seem to believe is universal for what you do? (i.e. Construction industry: Not on time, not on budget, not clean)
The writer gave an example of a construction company who's clients appreciated most how they always left the job site at the end of the day. They always left the site tidy and clean. He began to promote that he owned more Shop Vacs than any other contractor on the planet. He was solving a universal problem of contractors - they leave the site untidy and often dirty. He differentiated himself by leaving it cleaner than he found it.
Ways to communicate your core message:
Create your own over the top customer service system and the word of mouth advertising will flow liberally. Give them more than they asked for. Give them more than you promised. Then leave them with a gift. (This is a brilliant way to get a client talking. Think about it...if you wow the client and go so far above and beyond, they'll look for people to tell. They'll tell family and friends and anyone else they hear talking about a contractor. We may pay a little extra to leave it perfect, but the cost is far less than any form of advertising, and the client is left happy).
Other ways to communicate your core message:
- Unique Habit - A financial planner that has his clients cars detailed while they're in the appointment with him.
- Against the Competition - Find holes in your competition; something everyone else is missing in your field. Boldly grab onto the problem your solving and differentiate yourself with it.
- The Way You do Business - payment terms, how you deliver or package your services. (i.e. for us might be "We pay for the House Plans if you use us".
- A memorable personality - there was a restaurant he went to where the owner was a total jerk to everyone. The place was always packed. (this isn't ours...but maybe another one)
It can often be a good idea to create a questionnaire for clients to answer questions like:
Why did you choose us?
What do we do that others don't?
What's missing from our industry as a whole?
What could we do that would thrill you?
What do you find yourself simply putting up with in this industry?
What would you do if you owned a business like ours?
Remember what you really sell. You don't simply sell your product or service. What you sell is what they are going to get from having your product or service. For example, insurance folks don't sell insurance, they sell peace of mind. Chiropractors don't sell neck adjustments, they sell relief.
Most businesses don't konw what they sell. What do we sell?
We must know what we sell in creating our Core Message.
Marketing Purpose Statement:
Your marketing purpose statement is not meant to be communicated to your client, but rather is meant to be the basis for all your marketing and customer service activity. This is your rallying cry in the boardroom.
A good example he gave might be: "We're custom home remodelers, and we want to be known as the 'we show up when we say, no mess, no trash, we'll make your neighbors happy, contractor'. We've hired the most professional people in the industry and they stand out whenever we compete for business or do work for a customer. We take our Shop Vac into a sales call to help demonstrate our cleanliness."
THIS helps us really articulate what we're after and what we're trying to communicate. Its not just a goal, but an overarching purpose for your business. A Marketing Purpose Statement should give us a vision for the future of our business.
This Marketing Purpose Statement also becomes a bar that decisions are made from for marketing and business decisions.
Do you know your Competition? Can you beat something in your competition? Can you trump them somehow? Know their cause and differentiation so you can better understand yours.
Your cause can be grand or humble, but find it and you will be much more prepared to market to your business, run your business with passion, and hire people who support the cause and help improve and realize the vision for your business. Great causes possess the power for attraction.
You could ensure that no one would ever be afraid of a remodel or building again. Think about that...its common lingo to talk about how "your marriage better be strong if you're going to build." I don't know where that comes from, but that's a belief that's out that...that it can be that difficult and challenging.
What is your organization's purpose for being? Aim high, and let your cause guide you, your pepole, and your clients to greatness.
The Talking Logo.
Your Talking Logo is a tool that allows your firm to communicate verbally the single greatest benefit of doing business with your firm. Its the short statement that quickly communicates your firm's position and force's the listener to want to know more. This is the answer to what we really sell.
Think about your clients or potential clients...they want to know what's in it for them. Don't just tell them what you do, tell them in a way that matters to them.
Your Talking Logo has two distinct parts:
- Addresses your target market
- Zeros in on a problem
Examples:
Lawyer: "I help contractors stay out of court."
Trainer: "I make weight loss easy."
(I show, I help, I teach)...then (solve problem)
Your Core Marketing Message
Once you discover your marketing purpose and answer what you do for a living, you then need to create the marketing messages you will use to communicate your purpose in a way that clearly demonstrates the benefit of doing business with your firm.
i.e., Fed-Ex: On Time, Every Time, or its Free.
What is the chief benefit of doing business with us?
Example of an Electrical Contractor:
Marketing Purpose Statement: We want to be known as the one electrical contractor who will show up when we say we will and do the work right for the first time.
Talking Logo: We help homebuilders eliminate callbacks.
Core Message: "Wired right on time."
Action Steps:
1. Revisit your target marketing description.
2. Interview up to ten clients to focus on why they buy from you.
3. Complete the Marketing Purpose Statement.
4. Create your Talking Logo: "What you do for a living" exercise.
5. Create a Core Marketing Message.
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