Has your company lost business to one whose solutions are inferior to yours?
We have all experienced this frustration, and the truth is it is our own fault.
The only reason anyone settles for a lesser solution is because they are not aware of what is better. When this happens, the problem is usually the result of your failed marketing efforts.
Everyone wants the best, or at least better.
Your job is to ensure your success by clearly and consistently communicating those qualities that differentiate your offerings from those that appear to be similar.
And that means focusing on specifics that cut through the general market chatter.
Specific Solutions are Better
If you are interested in a book on sales and you go to Amazon you will undoubtedly discover abundant choices that leave you with a decision – which one is the right one?
Now imagine that you find one that is specifically targeted to your industry, or better yet, to a specific problem that you and others in your industry are commonly faced with? That’s the one to choose, isn’t it?
When solutions are general they favor the provider – one size fits all. When they are specific they favor the user – just right for you.
What does your ideal customer really need? What they want is often general, but what they need is you.
So, they have to find you, and they will if you are specific about how you can help them. To do that you have to have the guts to reflect that in your marketing.
It takes courage to be specific with your marketing because that means eliminating a huge chunk of potential buyers.
However, when you do that you tell the right ones that you are a glove fit for them.
Local Solutions are Better
One of the best ways for small businesses to be specific is to be local – and better yet, hyperlocal.
When I operated my landscape contracting business the majority of our work was in specific neighborhoods. In social media parlance, we had a tribe of loyal customers that served as trusted friends that would back up our promises.
It is indeed possible to be a member of multiple tribes, but only if you consistently engage with them.
You can do this with your online marketing if you care to take make the effort of organizing your respective communities. This focus keeps you in touch. It keeps you in the know, and most importantly, it keeps you relevant.
You can accomplish this on LinkedIn with tags, on Facebook with smart lists, and on Twitter with lists.
Personal Solutions are Better
Nothing speaks louder than proof. Unfortunately, marketers have always been tempted with stretching the truth. Some would even say that is what marketers do!
The best way to validate your proven successes is with visual proof, live and unstaged videos, photos, and testimonials that capture the subtle human qualities that are undeniable and believable.
Imperfections are believable, but who cares if they amplify the true qualities of your business? Imperfections communicate humanity and a willingness to work through everything to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
Traditional marketing was all about the medium – if they can say it, it must be true. Marketing today is all about proof – show me what it is like to work with your company.
Get specific, get real, and be honest.
That’s a simple solution to being the specific solution that your prospects are likely to choose.
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Until next time, Jeff
