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.

What is the first marketing requirement for a business?

I think that the answer to this question probably used to be (and still may be): A brochure. For many businesses this was seen as essential on a number of levels. Most importantly it was the primary means to “get the word out”. Something tangible for our service business that we could leave with prospects/send to them/leave on the side at trade shows. Perhaps maybe equally important: It makes us feel good about the business - it is real and here is the proof.

What is it really saying?

Most businesses do a lot of things. Even with a clear idea of our ideal client profile, what we do for them and so on, it is very difficult to summarize everything in print. There is always something else, perhaps we add a service and then the brochure is redundant. What if we move? Don’t forget that we get the best deal on printing the more items are printed - so what do we do with the 5000 brochures we have left over when we move?

Thankfully a lot of these problems are minimized or avoided with the advent of the internet and our ability to get our message out that way. However, how many businesses simply replicate their brochure on line. So, even though we can now change the website as often as we want, are we making the same mistakes I often see in brochures.

What mistakes are you talking about?

A brochure can be effective but, be honest. How many times is it simply a list of services that relies on the reader to make the connection with their own business or personal issue? In an effort to make sure all the bases are covered brochures are often very wordy. Sometimes brochures are handed out with an apology and or disclaimer:

“This is a little out of date now as we have changed a couple of people and added a few services, but it should give you a good idea of what we are about”

The problem is that this is exactly the same issue that can befall a website. In other words it becomes an online brochure with no better insight for the prospect than a printed example - except more frequent updates. It still comes from the perspective of the business itself or, worse, the webmaster who controls the site. What is the fist page that most users are directed to? Yup - “About us”

I am not saying there is no need to define what and who you are as a business but it shouldn’t be the first thing, or the center of the site. Make sure that you have grabbed attention from someone who has landed on the site before you start telling them everything you do. How do you do that? Think in terms of your ideal client -what issues are they wrestling or struggling with? This will be a far more compelling reason for them to explore your site and discover your unique value.

Of course, you can also take that approach with a brochure - should you decide, after reviewing your marketing apporach that you even need one!

I have a very good friend here in Kansas City, Stephen,  who gives me loads of ideas for books that have really helped me in business and also personally. Generally speaking I agree with his (very educated) opinions but we do diverge a little when it comes to “The Four Hour Workweek” by Tim Ferriss.

What can you give up?

I encourage you to read this book even though I have a couple of issues with it! I went to one of Stephen’s book review sessions last week and it has encouraged me to re-read it to see what different aspects I can pull out the second time around. The key point I am particularly interested in is the concept that there are things that we should all give up to make our lives less cluttered and more rewarding.

In the context of marketing, what does this mean?

Is everything strictly necessary?

As much as I love books and thirst for knowledge, I can’t really agree with Ferris when he recommends going 5 days without reading, following the news etc. However in the marketing world there are surely a lot of things that we do that we could give up, or should at least evaluate as to their effectiveness.

So the simple point of this post is this: Take a look at your marketing activities - do you know why you are doing them and what you expect out of them? Can you point to the results and are you tracking those results?

Here’s the kicker - what would giving up those activities cost you? Is it really necessary that you do them yourself or can you outsource them?

I suspect there are a great many marketing things we do that are not particularly effective but we continue with them because they are fun, we can’t think of anything else to do, someone told us to etc. Make sure you know whether this is the case or not!

Maybe I should read the book again - perhaps I am coming round to it’s key message!

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.

There are a number of ways to think about that question but I invite you to consider it in terms of your business (or career).

How easy is it to answer the question: What are you passionate about?

I think it is easy to see and hear when someone is passionate about their business. There is an energy about them, they speak in more elevated tones and their eyes twinkle. Have you ever seen that? It can be very attractive as a prospect, it leads you to think: “here is someone who really cares about their business and by extension will probably care about me”. Remember the quotation from Theodore Roosevelt: “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care”. That applies hugely in putting together a marketing message

How does your passion for what you do impact others?

Here is the key marketing rub. How do you get people to connect with your passion and ultimately hire you? As a clue, I have never heard anyone say they are passionate about the money that their business makes them. Even if it is true, it is not always an attractive message. Much more commonly the passion is for something that is intangible at first sight. Examples include: helping people, people generally, making something better, serving, being seen to make a difference, standing out from the crowd and so on.

What is it for you?

So what’s the point of all this?

It is very common - I mean very, very common - for the initial message a business sends to concentrate on a laundry list of services. Whilst we may love what we do, the services are the tool, a means to an end and the end is what we are passionate about. Most people would much rather hear about the difference you seek to make generally, and how that applies to them specifically, than about the list of things that you do.

When you provide a list you are asking prospects to turn that into a message that applies to them, and they generally won’t. Remember that they have things they are passionate about as well. As these relate to their business they may well be looking (or know someone who is) for a solution to a problem that would allow them to deliver THEIR difference making service better.

Find out what your clients and prospects are passionate about and how what you are passionate about helps them. Within that lies the foundation of a strong, attractive marketing message

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!

The first time we speak to people, it’s probably true to say that we want to get their attention. This is true in social situations but we certainly want to grab attention in a business setting - why?

Well, once get interest we are into a conversation that may lead to a mutually beneficial outcome (that also applies to a social interaction of course!). So, what is one of the most common mistakes I see, that I also have to constantly guear against? Jargon - industry specific words that we are familiar with that we use all the time on the assumption that everyone else knows about too.

Here is an example. I recently went to a network event where we were all required to go through that right of initiation - the 30 second introduction. One of these was from a bank representative who talked about their range of services (that were industry leading of course!) that included “CD”. Now, I only know one definition for that term and it’s compact disc. I am sure that wasn’t what this was.

In the end I found out from a colleague sitting next to me (it means “Certificate of Deposit” by the way) but I missed everything that was said after the term CD was used as I tried to figure it out. I cannot now remember the name of the bank and I have no idea why a certificate of deposit is something I might be interested in. In short, I have no idea how it applies to me.

The lesson therefore is - avoid jargon! Sometimes I think people use it to sound smart but more often I think it is simply common language in their world but guess what? We are not in their world any more! It needs to be relevant to the listener.

Think about the benefits of the “thing” you are describing. In the example above, what does a CD do for me? What problem does it solve? Why do I need it? How will it make my life better? Then describe it in terms that really make sense to me.

I am reading a great book by Carol Dweck, called “Mindset - the new psychology of success” The main thesis is that there are two types of folks out there (OK, I know that is simplistic but let’s go with it for a minute) - fixed mindset thinking: All talents are fixed and can’t really be developed - they are gifts in other words. Growth mindset: all talents including intelligence can be learned and developed.

What does this have to do with small business marketing? Well, it is possible to hear a lot of these mindsets in business. “I am not a natural salesman” is perhaps the most common that I come across.

It seems to me that these skills can be developed. We perhaps all know people we consider to be “naturals” - someone with the gift of the gab for example. The danger of this thinking is that we don’t bother to think more deeply and it gives us an excuse. In other words - I wasn’t given that gift therefore I can’t develop it, so why try?

What to do? Personally I try to catch myself saying these things either out loud or (more commonly) in my head and then think whether that is an excuse for inaction. So, if you are inclined to think you are not a marketing person or a sales person I encourage you to think instead - how am I going to develop the skills in this area?

I am talking about your business focus of course!

In a previous post (Attention Getting Message), we discussed the merits of keeping your message focused and thinkign about the specific problems you solve for your clients and prospects. There is a obvious objection to that and here it is: “But I serve a wide range of clients with different problems and I want to make sure I cover every possible issue so I don’t miss someone, and therefore miss out on business”.

Believe me, I get that. I’ve done it. The irony is you probably CAN solve a range of problems. However if you focus your message to a few specific areas that you are passionate about here’s the benefit: People will get what you do and if they have a related problem they will ASK YOU IF YOU CAN HELP THEM TOO.

For example our program is primarily aimed at helping small, service companies attract more clients consistently. If you are a manufacturing company can we help you? Probably, it depends on your issues and what you want to do about them. However if you are putting out a vague message (and I have heard people say this) that you can help anyone who “has a house” for example, it is so broad that prospects generally don’t bother to try and qualify or disqualify themselves or others on that basis.

Try it - what are you passionate about? What problem do you ideally want to work on with that best/ideal client. That is probably the message you will benefit from sending - keep it tightly to that and see what response you get…..