Tell One Story
You know you offer a great product.
You know that the quality and service you bring to the table is unparalleled.
You know that you make a difference in the lives of your clients and address their needs with care and innovation.
So why are you not succeeding at the level you know you can? Where’s the disconnect?
The problem is that the statements above are all about what you know and what you believe. And while passion, confidence, and a positive mindset are important, they are just the start. What’s needed to connect with your customers is to focus on what they know and how they feel about your business.
And that’s where positioning comes in.
Put your Customers Front and Center
Your brand position is how your customers feel about your business. When it comes to the products or services you are selling, it's their perspective that's important, not yours. Your success in reaching your ideal audience and sharing the work you are so passionate about with them ultimately depends on the emotional experience that you provide.
And that’s where you should focus your marketing messages.
As a success coach for entrepreneurs, one of the biggest mistakes I see people make is to build their marketing around what they are selling. They focus on their product and its features, or on their service and its process. While these elements should not be ignored, they should not take center stage. Your customer should.
Keep the Message Clear and Simple
In addition to being customer-focused, your messaging should be easy to understand. Communicating complicated or multiple marketing messages will leave people feeling confused. Instead, have a simple, clear, and consistent brand story that your customers can embrace and share with others. Your goal is to have your audience talk about you, so be sure there is one easy and emotionally compelling story to share.
Think about Nike. They aren't just selling sneakers and clothing. You buy things with their trademark swoosh, probably because it makes you feel stronger like you can conquer this exercise thing and finally get fit. You're mentally ready to 'Just Do It'. I've seen people who are far from fit wearing Nike’s clothing, but they were probably fired up when they made the purchase.
They bought the product because they bought into the message, and they bought into the message because it’s easy to understand and it speaks to what matters to them.
Creating your story, and stepping fully into your position as leader of that story is one way I help my clients. Learn more here.
Learn from your Customers
How do you know what your customers think of you?
One effective way to find out is to ask. In order to better understand her customer’s perspective, my private client Sarah led a focus group to learn how her marketing messages were being received, whether her brand story was compelling, and if the way she was differentiating between her two jewelry lines was coming across clearly. What she learned about how her customers viewed her business and products helped her reshape a client-centric and highly effective marketing strategy.
Rather than assuming that you know or trying to guess, take every opportunity to actually find out what customers feel are your strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of your competitors. You can organize a focus group like Sarah did, use surveys, have conversations, or listen to social media chatter. Ask at every opportunity.
When you put the effort into customer analysis you are able to identify your unique selling proposition and market on a differentiating strength that your clients want, rather than competing directly with competitors.
Customer analysis, strategic planning and marketing messaging are all included inside the Above the Crowd mastermind. Learn more and apply HERE.
