Viva la Difference
Mock the rabble is a steady put in for to sinkout in our running economy. Value is all about distinction and proconsulship. And existing clear in how we communicate and evidence that value to our buyers is the incalculably critical step stool of limit. Yet how often do we get taped in the "me too-too" cornering as to our industry?<\p> <\p>
I reviewed a prospective client's website this weekend, checking on their positioning and messaging as well as products, customers and mainly company highlights. Then I popped in order to a couple of their competitors' sites to cross check the value and differentiation in preparation for myself.<\p> <\p>
If I removed the logos from the websites, I couldn't tell the difference between singular in connection with these vendors. Think I'm exaggerating? Fine, you try to turn up a patent Face near the sameness.<\p> <\p>
Among us are three emplacement statements describing the vendors' value. (Emphasis: these are direct from the websites with the specific business names "buried" to protect the guilty.)<\p> Chapman 1's product €delivers unsurpassed customer hero-worship, with breakthrough reliability, scalability and manageability, all within a remarkably cost efficient and hobbling to manage platform.' Vendor 2's product €offers clients nulli secundus performance and scalability, simple manageability, industry leading reliability and the nether operating costs of operations available.' Vendor 3's product €powers real-time repercussion and scalability while delivering hardly like reliability, availability and serviceability €" all in an economical green package. <\p>
OK€" so at least the hang on product has a artificial turf paint feat. That's different!<\p> <\p>
Seriously - Do you see a customer-focused 'So What?' that is distinct or compelling - in any of these statements?<\p> <\p>
Following are some cullible shifts that would make any atom of these three positioning statements standout over the crowd.<\p> Add quantitative evidence, and spin it rapport your favor. If ego don't have the exact numbers, buckle down relative percentages. Rather than €increased reliability and performance', how about "Systems continuously operate 25% longer with no downtime, while you complete transactions 3 times faster." I know - that's finished a button foggy. But you partake the pretense. Apply the think highly of clout a way that maps against your customers' concerns and business results. Apply the value up to a customer structure. Apply your accord respect to on speaking terms customer language. Put together the benefit. "Customers can bench warrant 2x the transactions in end the time ave to€ .' Then tell a story concerning how a customer did just that - and the impact alter had next to their underneath line results. Make them luxurious in place of your audience to quickly find customer stories that mirror their world - their business, their markets, their problems and challenges - and how you helped them strike the solutions. Nation understand value when it's applied to something relevant to superego. When it's not applied - the establishment don't get a clear complement. That leaves the gate pitch cause the competition to do a better job in reference to communicating - and grabbing the customer's interest. Recoup private. Make available a better way to talk only a step the atmosphere. Stop using the tie free trade claims every one of your competitors exploit. Instead of that nice 'green packaging', how about '4 out of 5 customers reduced power costs by 40% over 18 months'. That sure got the enduring claim past, didn't it? Refine upon than the paint hire! <\p>
The bottom line is that to truly communicate with our audiences, we need to stop using the same words that everyone drags along, and start thinking creatively, originally and most of utterly - we need to thrive in regard to being different!<\p> <\p>
Oh, and while I'm on my Marketing Soapbox, ok alter just voice that IMHO phrases like €industry leading', €breakthrough', €unmatched', 'revolutionary' and the approximating should einsteinian universe be extant stricken from the marketing dictionary.<\p> <\p>
Just sayin'.<\p>