Are you prepared to give your message at any time?

I am struggling a bit this week as I just returned from a trip to the Philippines. Partly this was a vacation, partly a trip to see relatives and partly (the most rewarding part) was charitable work with a local hospital and school. This is the reason that there has been no blog from me for a couple of weeks. However, as always it seems, there was a marketing lesson I learned in an unexpected place. In this case, it was on a plane.

So, what do you do?

The flight from Kansas City to Manila is a long one. You can’t get there non-stop. We went: Kansas City to Chicago to Tokyo to Manila. I don’t know exactly how many hours that is in the air but it’s a lot. It was about 30 minutes before landing in the Philippines, around 27 hours since I last slept that I fell into conversation with the person in the seat next to me. She asked me the classic question: “What do you do?”

We had a great conversation but I am not sure that I answered her question very effectively even though I have been asked it hundreds of times and like to think that I am always prepared for it.

What’s the lesson?

My travelling colleague was based in Manila so may not have been a good target for me but her business was definitely one of my target types. I was so tired and not thinking in a business mindset due to the nature of the trip but so what? We were having a nice conversation and there was always the chance we could do business together and I allowed my guard to slip and was taken by surprise.

This is not a beat myself up issue at all. It is a learning point - you never know. You really don’t. The next person you meet might be your perfect client/referral partner/whatever. Make sure that you are always prepared to answer that question - it takes some up front work but it is well worth it.

We are having a great seminar series running at the moment - group discussion is always so valuable, not least when it provides material for this blog! We are at the stage when we get to talk about moving from initial contact to gaining attention using that ubiquitous tool: The 30 second introduction.

How many versions should I have?

How many intros do you need? Here is the key: Figure out who the message is for - in other words what is the profile of your ideal clients? What do those businesses (or individuals) have in common in terms of their demographics/size/industry type and so on. This will form the first part of your message:

“We work with Fortune 500 companies” or “I work with small businesses and independent professionals in the service sector” are a couple of examples. You can perhaps vary your message around this theme (more on that later) but who the message is for should ALWAYS be clear.

OK, what do you do for them?

Think about the problems that your target audience is facing and will readily relate to. These are the issues they deal with and will gain their attention. For example:

“We work with small business owners and independent professionals in the service sector who want to grow but struggle to attract high quality clients consistently”

Now, you can vary the second part a little as far as the words go. Figure out what works best but you should be highly comfortable with the words. They should be things that you would say in a conversation or it won’t sound natural. However you may want to vary some of the words just so as you don’t sound like a tape recorder. Make sure that the core message is the same though!

Sorry, I know that isn’t a very good title from the point of view of feeling good about yourself so I had better explain further!

If you take a look at almost any website out there you will generally see a section titled: “about us”. It is very common and understandable, after all, who wants to go to a site where you are not clear who they are or what they do? In fact you will see a section “about” on my website (www.balancelifework.com) so I do this too!

However, about us sections will often contain a catalogue of information about the company, it’s products, maybe accolades that they have one, perceived unique selling propositions etc. This is also, typically, how people introduce themselves whenever they are asked to describe their company or what they do. In other words they “tell”.

This is all very well but, in fact, most people are really not that concerned about you, either personally or as a company. I know that sounds harsh but think about it for a minute. Think about how you feel as a buyer of goods and services. You are primarily concerned about your problems and how to make your life better - fair?

So people tend to think more about themselves than about you. Unless your website or 30 second introduction or presentation addresses these wants/needs/problems/desires in a way that MAKES SENSE TO THEM, you are far less likely to gain their attention. In other words the accolades and awards you have won don’t mean much to them unless it is clear that it will solve their problems.

So, think in terms of your best client. What do they say about you to other people - in other words how did you help them SPECIFICALLY. What problem did they come to you with or did you discover with them as you worked together and how did you resolve that. That is one of your key messages that you can take to other people.

Of course, it really helps to define who your ideal market is and that is the subject of a future post. For now, it may help to think about the problems you solve and how to turn that into language that has resonance with prospects, talks to them at their level and identifies the problems or pain that they have (maybe weren’t even aware they had). A good place to start? Ask a selection of your clients!

I have always felt some sympathy for those in highly competitive businesses, especially when there are a lot of players. For example Real Estate, Financial Planning and Insurance. 

I recently attended a networking event and, as usual, I was unable to meet all the attendees. A couple of days later I received a very nice email from someone who was there interested in meeting to discuss whether I would like to save some money on my general insurance and how they could help.

This is a common approach I find and often includes information on how long the company has been in business, where they are located, their commitment to customer service, lowest prices in the industry, widest range of products, most unique products and so on. Features and benefits in other words.

The reason I have sympathy for this is that everyone tells me roughly the same thing! All companies seem to have the same features! In the case I cite above there is the added difficulty that I, personally, don’t buy insurance on price. Obviously that’s a factor but it isn’t the predominant one. What is, you might ask?

Well that is what you need to find out! You can do that by enquiring it of me, but that requires a dialogue. I am willing to be though, there are other people out there looking for customer service and a relationship, or other vague terms. As a clue to my situation, here is an attention getting message that woudl engage me:

“Often times my clients work with me because they find buying insurance a real pain. In particular they don’t want to keep track of all their premium due dates and they hate the fact that renewal notices are the only communication they have with their insurance agent. When they have an insurance question they are frustrated that they can’t get a timely and accurate answer from their agent who they may not evern really now”

That talks to me hugely!  What do you best clients say about you? Why do they work with you. specifically? If they say things like “the relationship” or “the customer service” ask them what they mean SPECIFICALLY. What do you do for them that makes them LOVE you? You might be surprised at the answers but if that’s how you help them, that’s probably how you can get the attention of similar prospects.

I know, you may feel that limits your audience. We will talk about that here soon!