There is a great test of how effective your initial marketing message is being received. As we have discussed before, the key to establishing interest in prospects is engaging the emotional “stuff” they are dealing with. How do you do that? By tailoring your message to the pain they are suffering and/or a problem they want solving.

Engaging interest is vital!

How will you know when you have mentioned something that resonates with your prospect? They will ask you to elaborate, ask you “How do you do that?” or something similar. The response you don’t want is a blank look or worse, a vague: “Hmmm. Interesting.”

The “so what test”

The next time you go to a networking meeting, listen to what people are saying. Process the message in terms of the emotion that it generates in you. If not emotion, then a genuine feeling that you want to know more. You probably won’t want to ask this directly since it is rather abrupt, but ask yourself if “So what?” is an appropriate question.

For example: “We have been in business for 25 years” - So what?

“We have won numerous customer service awards” - So what?

See how it works? The so what question seems very valid. Specifically it is appropriate because it means, so how does that apply to me? Is it so appropriate as a response to the following statement: “We help small businesses owners frustrated that they are paying too much in personal income tax”.

Again, it is about them

Whilst you can still answer “so what?” I submit that it is far less likely. It is clear who the message is intended for, what pain (frustration) they are suffering and for what reason. The fact that the message includes “help” implies action and begs the question: “How do you help them?” Now you are into a meaningful conversation (at least potentially!)

The key thing is figuring out the pain, frustration, emotion that your prospects are feeling. Here’s a clue to how to figure that out if you don’t know - ask your clients how you help them and what RESULTS you have achieved with them.

Try the “so what?” test on your marketing message. How is it working for you?

What do you think about when you hear the term “marketing?”

For many (including the “old” me) my mind was great at throwing out images of young men and women dressed in sharp suits disappearing into a smoke filled room to come up with innovative ideas, slogans, logos and tag lines to define whatever was their product or service as the “next greatest thing”.

OK, now I have revealed my old belief system

If you have something similar in your mind you may not feel, I certainly didn’t, that such a picture describes who you are. However we all know that once in business we do have to market our services to some extent, otherwise who knows we are there?

The first task of marketing: GAIN ATTENTION

It isn’t the only thing, but it is the most important first step. When you think about it, that is actually what the smart ad, the snappy logo and the cute tagline is trying to do, GRAB YOUR ATTENTION.

There are are many, many types of business put there but there are some common categories. Perhaps one of the simplest is the difference between businesses that everyone has heard of (e.g. Insurance, Financial planning, Real Estate, Chiropractors) and those that are unfamiliar (Life coach, security consultant etc.)

The challenge for the former group is the reaction: “OK. I know what that is and I already know someone who does that/I don’t need it”

The challenge for the latter group: “OK. I didn’t understand that and I don’t see how that applies to me because I don’t really know what you do”

Get into your prospects world

The challenges, though different in detail are basically the same. How do I, as a service provider, get the prospect to think: “OK, I understand that and yes, I am dealing with that issue - how could you help me?” This is attention getting and you have the chance to do that as soon as you meet someone.

How to do it? It takes practice but thinking along these lines may help:

1. Who is my product or service aimed at? (Be specific)

2. What challenges are they facing?

3. How do I solve those challenges?

Then tune your message to the challenges of your ideal client base. Turn your client attraction message into words they understand, and emotion words at that. Before you work with them are your clients frustrated, angry, confused, scared, uncertain about anything? That could be a good place to start.

Thinking about your client/prospect and what they are dealing with will help you avoid the mistake of talking endlessly about your self and your company. Doing that more or less guarantees that your prospect will not be attracted to your message!

What do you think about when you hear the word “marketing?”

When we are in business for ourselves one of the things we have to do is market that business. I hope that everyone sees it that way. Sure we can hire someone to help us, maybe even a marketing manager, but ultimately we have to market the passion we have for what we do. However the concept of marketing often causes problems. Perhaps it brings to mind visions of creative genius executives working to produce the next killer brand or logo in a smoke filled room…..

 OK, maybe I revealed a little about my belief system there! The point is that we all have ideas about marketing and we may feel that we are just not “marketing people”

What is your message?

I invite you to check such thoughts at the door. You are a marketing person, it goes with the territory and you might as well figure out a way to enjoy it! If that raises doubts in your mind, recognize them and move on. Don’t forget that you are the world’s foremost expert on what you do, and more specifically, what value you bring to your clients. The client that loves you for what you do doesn’t care that you don’t have a Nike Swoosh for a logo, they care that you know about them, their problems and how to solve them.

That is huge and there is your marketing message. It is all wrapped up in what you do to make your client’s world better. If that isn’t fun and worth going to work for, I am not sure what is. Guess what? That is marketing your business right there!

What is this “give to get” stuff?

I am sure we have all heard it - you need to give to get. If you are networking, or selling in any way, give first, without expectation that you will get back right away, or from the same person. If it is so widely known, how come we get into loads of transactions where people seem to constantly trying to “get” clients? Maybe you have done that yourself, I certainly have. Once again, this is a mindset change.

How do you give first?

Remember that the first job of marketing is to gain attention from your prospect. We have covered that in other posts but it is all about putting yourself in their shoes and figuring out where their pain lies. All too often I see business owners get that far, and then leap into trying to get the deal done. It sounds something like this:

” I’d love to get together so I can tell you more about what we do and how we can help you”

“‘I’ll send you my brochure/proposal etc. that explains everything we do”

There are many variations on this theme. Mostly however they are, again, concerned with you and what you are going to TELL your prospect. Often times the prospect doesn’t want to be told,  it is too early in the process to be doing so. Notice that nothing has been given here, except a load of information about OURSELVES.This is a turn off and is unlikely to thrill the prospect. Why? Because he or she probably thinks you are into selling too fast and haven’t proved to me that you understand me yet.

This is where giving comes in

It’s about showing you understand them, their issues, and are prepared to offer them something of value to begin solving issues for them. This can take numerous forms from referral to someone else, to a report you have written, to a blog that addresses these issues, a seminar and so on. How do you establish the correct approach? ASK QUESTIONS. Ask them about their issues, their businesses, key challenges and resist the temptation to rush in and tell then how you would solve it. Only once you understand, are you (maybe) in a position to give them some of your expertise. Note also that these questions may reveal that the person you regarded as a hot prospect doesn’t actually fit your ideal client profile (you have one of those, right?). That’s OK too - you have saved both of you a lot of time.

Don’t give away the farm

There is an obvious objection here.

“If I give away my expertise then why would anyone pay me for that information?”

It’s a good question but I invite you to ask yourself whether you can really give away your entire service in a report or even a seminar. Most businesses are a lot more complex than that. However you can give away genuinely useful things (and you should) that build your credibility and level of trust with your prospect. It gives them a chance to sample you without committing 100% to hiring you at this stage.

It works, but it requires a change in mindset. What will you give away that:

a) Adds value to your prospect

b) Showcases your expertise

c) Allows them to disqualify you (and you, them) or make a decision to go to the next step

You will also find this is a lot less stressful than trying to persuade people all the time and have them resist being “sold” to.

Is your message getting through?

As a business owner or independent professional, getting the word out about your business is clearly a key activity. However, often times it seems that we are talking in a language that our prospects don’t seem to understand or even hear. We LOVE what we do and we can clearly see the benefit of the latest innovation that we have put in place - why doesn’t everyone else see that? Surely it’s as clear to them as it is to us? Well, actually, no it’s not.

Are you broadcasting on the right wavelength?

If you want to listen to an FM station you need an FM receiver right? OK, I know that’s changed a bit with the Internet but let’s stay with the metaphor for a minute! If your prospects have an FM receiver and you are broadcasting on Medium wave they will not hear you. Remember that people (including your prospects) are going through life thinking about their personal issues and challenges therefore their receiver is tuned to WIIFM - i.e. What’s In It for Me?

Here’s the deal - most broadcast messages are going out on WWD - What We Do. If you are talking/writing/producing a brochure/website solely concerned with what you do, you are relying on the prospect turning that message into something that makes sense to them personally. Chances are they won’t do that - chances are they have a receiver tuned to a different wavelength and therefore your message is simply noise.

Change your wavelength!

The passion that you have for your business has direct effect on your clients world - it makes their lives better. Think about that in specific terms and turn that into your message. In other words less about the services you offer (WWD) and more about what benefit that provides to your customer, what pain it takes away (WIIFM)

This is a mindset change - your BEST client will tell you why they work with you, what they love about you and what pain you take away/pleasure you provide for them specifically. It will work wonders for the attraction you will get from your prospects.

We may have mentioned this before but…….

So What?

The so what question is a great one to ask yourself when you are putting together your marketing message. Is “So what?” a valid response to a statement like the one above? I would argue that it is entirely relevant and in this case, may even be the most obvious response. However the length of time the company and/or the individual has been in business is one of the more common statements I hear from businesses introducing themselves.

What were you thinking?

I don’t want to pick on anyone or any business who may be using this as a line, but ask yourself if it is serving you. I guess the thinking is that a long time in business somehow equates to competence and/or excellence. That may be valid. After all, businesses don’t survive for long by being incompetent. However, you are relying on the prospect turning that statement into something that talks to issues in her world, addresses an issue she has and to that end, length of time in the business is probably close to irrelevant. What can you do for me TODAY? Show me that you understand MY ISSUES.

Turn your thinking outwards

If you are part of a business that has been successful for many years you are probably proud of that and you should be. it can be tough to make a business work and if you are successful over the long haul you are doing a lot of things right. Experience is very often important. Why though? It is not the length of time so much as the fact that you are satisfying your customers consistently. Even that isn’t the marketing message - the way to get and keep attention is to show HOW you deliver value, show you UNDERSTAND their world and make that better. Can you do that even though you haven’t been in business for 100 years? I would argue that you can, and you can do it well.

So What?

“I’ve been in business 10 years”

“So what?”

“Well, we have a lot of experience”

“So what?”

And so it goes on. You may get there eventually but often times prospects won’t bother to ask the question, they will simply move on. The answer? Stop saying how long you have been in business and start figuring out what problem you solve for your clients that has allowed you to be successful for so long.

You will know when you have the message right when “so what?” makes no sense as a response. For example:

We help successful small business owners frustrated that they are paying more in tax and so unable to invest in their business.

Much more likely than “so what?” is “Really, how?” and that is much more useful to you!

Have you ever been asked: “What are you Great at?”

We have been discussing this between us recently and it’s an interesting question. Partly it is interesting because it is usually answered with the following: “Well, I think I am pretty good at………”

Maybe you thought something along similar lines. Note that you weren’t asked what are you pretty good at, you were asked what you were great at.

What we say impacts what we believe

Now I know that we are all modest and don’t want to brag about how great we are, but be careful. I am sure there are some things that you are great at and here is the opportunity to answer a direct question on that! By down grading ourselves we are, perhaps, changing our mindset to believe we are “quite good” rather than great. Keep repeating that and it becomes true - you make it true.

Well, I am not great at marketing/sales

This is why this is relevent to marketing. Continually saying you are not great at it, or worse, “I am terrible at it” completely affects your mindset. The result? You give yourself a ready excuse not to carry out anything that appears to be marketing related - why would you when you are terrible at it?

Check your beliefs at the door

Listen for these things from yourself and others - it is very common. The good news is that you can change this. How do you get good at something? Train, practice, learn about it? How about saying: ” I am really developing my skills as a marketer”. It acknowledges that you are not an expert but that you are taking action to get there. Doesn’t it sound more positive?

Look for opportunities to overcome long term thinking

A negative mindset really brings you down. Becoming aware of the times this affects you can really help turn it around. Need to write an article? Notice if you tell yourself “I am not a writer”. Network meeting? notice: “I don’t have the gift of the gab”. Catching yourself and then turnign that into a more positive statement will work wonders for your marketing success!

I used to work in a medium sized business and I was often asked this question - what is your USP - i.e. unique selling proposition?

I have always been uncertain about USPs generally. On one hand, if you have a product or service that is totally unique in the market place AND serves a need then I think I want to invest in your company! How much is really unique in terms of what you do?

However, on the other hand, we are all unique aren’t we? Although we may run businesses that do the same thing on the face of it, each company does things a little differently, as does each person.

So, what is it that you do differently that REALLY HELPS YOUR CLIENTS IN A UNIQUE WAY. If you answer this question with: “We believe in partnership/relationship/customer service” or a variation on that, guess what? Most everyone else says that too!

So what about what you do, do your clients LOVE about you? What do they tell other people when asked what’s great about you? I am willing to bet it’s something about your personality, your philosophy, your approach rather than a unique product.

What do you think? Somewhere in there is likely to be your passion and how you tap into something that is truly important to your clients. There is the heart of your marketing message.