What Do You Do When Your Product Isn’t Different?

What Do You Do When Your Product Isn’t Different?

Differentiating your product or service from the competition gives you the upper hand.

It piques interest.

It helps you win business.

But what do you do when you know – in your heart of hearts – that your business does not have a strong differentiator?

That’s where great messaging comes in.

Great messaging creates a niche.

     Example: You get rid of pain so fast you’ll fast-track through life.


Weak messaging sounds as if it could belong to any product or service – and doesn’t create a product distinction.

     Example: Our product relieves muscle cramps, joint pain, and headaches.


Great messaging needs no further explanation. It’s informal, original, and sets your product apart from your competition.

In the example above our product becomes the “fast-track pain reliever” – a memorable claim no other pain reliever uses.

 


 

See what great messaging can do for your business.

If you want to make more money, we will help you find your niche – and then help you fill it with Words that Sell.

Call now for a complimentary consultation. 917-670-3554.

Crafting Your Integrated Messaging Strategy

Crafting Your Integrated Messaging Strategy

What is an integrated messaging strategy?

It’s pretty simple, really.

It means that all forms of communications and messages are carefully linked together so that they work in harmony across all media platforms. In other words, your brand’s main message is consistently communicated every time a prospect or customer sees or hears from you, and your unique differentiator is at the core of every message. 

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing ideas that help you get clarity around your messaging, as well as simple and cost effective ideas for integrating consistent messaging across all marketing platforms – website, social media, email, print, blogs, etc. 

Today, we’ll talk about features vs. benefits. 

This is the best explanation of features vs benefits I’ve ever seen. Nobody really cares if Coke is low in calories. What we care about is knowing that if we drink Diet Coke as opposed to a sugary drink, we won’t gain weight, and we’ll look better in our clothes. 

Look for the Coke message for your brand. What do you do for your customer? How does your service make them feel, look, act? Does it help them become more successful in business, save money, or make money? That is your story – and you need to stick to it, across every media platform. This will ensure that your readers can always rely upon a consistent, authentic message about your brand.  

What’s Wrong with Giving Good Service?

What’s Wrong with Giving Good Service?


There’s nothing wrong with good old fashioned excellent service.

After all, American commerce is built upon it.

But when you want to differentiate yourself from your competitors, you have to find something else.

You need something bigger, better, more unique.

We’ve spent the last decade helping clients find their unique differentiators, which we then use as their messaging base.

And I want to share what we share with them.

Find Your Competitive Edge

– Write down all of your clients’ pain points
– Next to each, list how you solve their problems
– In the third column, note which ones competitors say they solve – and how
– Now review the lists.
– Whatever you solve (and your competitors do not) is your unique differentiator.
– Promote it.
– Advertise it.
– Lead with it.

P.S. What are your pain points? I’d love to hear from you.

Do You Know What Keeps Your Customers Up at Night?

Do You Know What Keeps Your Customers Up at Night?

When it comes to connecting with prospects, we all face the same problem. Even the greatest, most innovative products can sit on the shelf if prospects don’t trust the seller.

Acknowledging What Keeps Your Prospects Up at Night Is Your Best Sales Opportunity

In order to build trust, always, always, always address your prospects greatest pain points or problem areas first. Then – later – offer your unique solution.

This assures prospects of two things:

– You understand them and their business problems
– You may very well have the right solution, and they probably will be willing to listen to you. 

Too often I see home pages totally devoted to product features and claims. Sure you’re letting readers know what business you’re in, but there is nothing really to resonate with readers, to grab and maintain reader interest. 

It’s important that your website first convey your understanding of the needs of your target market. It should not be all about you, your company, or what you are selling.

There are opportunities to “sell” your products or services on your website. Just do it respectfully, within the context of benefiting the reader. 

The One Thing that Drives Success

The One Thing that Drives Success

What’s the one thing every business needs to do in order to be successful?

(Hint) It also seems to be one of the hardest things to do.

Answer:
Determine what makes your business different from the competition so that every communication promotes those unique capabilities, and you attract ideal customers.

Do you know what your unique differentiators are that make prospects want to buy from you – and only you? 

Let me ask you this. When someone asks you what is different about your business, do you:

  • Have an immediate answer of about 20-30 words long?
  • Does your answer address the top pain point for your ideal customer?

If not, read on.

Differentiating your business makes it memorable and credible. It helps your prospects quickly understand what you do and what sets you apart from your competitors. This unique difference is also known as your value proposition and should be the basis of all your marketing.

A Great Tip for Differentiation

Promote your core value. To do this, of course, you have to know what your core value is. For us, it’s Writing the Words that Sell our Customers’ Products and Services.

Google’s core value is organizing the world’s information and making it universally accessible and useful.

In contrast to most other companies that focus on profit, Disney focuses on the intangibles that make the Disney brand unique and distinct. The core value for their theme parks is to create happiness by providing the best in entertainment for people of all ages everywhere.

What is your core value and how can you share your values with your ideal customers, thereby setting yourself apart from the competition? I would love to hear from you.

When It’s Gone, That’s It! – Rule #6

When It’s Gone, That’s It! – Rule #6

It’s a quirk of human nature. Even when something has little appeal, it becomes more attractive when we think we might miss it.

6 weeks ago, I began a series on the concept of psychological triggers in human behavior that lead to predictable outcomes – remember my Mama Turkey example?

There are what we call the 6 Pillars of Persuasion (behavioral triggers) that bring people to ‘yes’ – a huge benefit when trying to convert prospects to your product.

I use them in my copywriting business all the time and the results are startling.

This is the 6th and final Pillar of Persuasion, and it is known as Gone.

FOMO
The Fear Of Missing Out plays a large role in human decision-making. There is evidence that shows people seem to be more motivated by the thought of losing something than gaining something.

Homeowners told how much money they could lose from inadequate insulation are more likely to insulate their homes than those told how much money they could save.

When creating your own Words that Sell, here are some trigger words that implant the idea in readers’ minds that they could miss out if they don’t act NOW:

  • When it’s gone, that’s it!
  • Limited number left
  • There is a deadline
  •  Limited availability
  • Call NOW
  • Pop-up sale only today
  • Don’t Wait

How many more can you name?

Previous Persuasion Pillars
1. Take and Give
2. Doubling Down
3. Social Proof
4. How Can I Get You to Like Me?
5. Authority

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #5: Authority

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #5: Authority

The 5th in a series on psychological triggers that bring people to ‘yes’ – a huge benefit when writing copy that converts. This week’s psychological trigger is called Authority.

Nothing triggers confidence quite like believing somebody knows what he or she is talking about. In fact, it can be downright liberating. To a certain extent, you can suspend disbelief.

Similarly, establishing your business as an authority in its field can get prospects to trust you and ultimately buy from you.

Writing expert content is a great way to:

  • Be seen as an authority
  • Build a brand
  • Stand out among competition
  • Influence prospects to try your product

Getting Started
It’s simple – and it’s not. You need to create content that is helpful to your target market, and appeals to their wants, needs, and challenges.

It’s simple because, as an expert, you can easily draw on the knowledge that you need to create content.

It’s not so simple because, to make an impact, you have to create a ton of content. And that is time consuming!

Nevertheless, it’s critical to establish your business as knowledgeable, innovative, and leading-edge.

As we look to 4th quarter 2018, why not choose one of the following authority-driven pieces of content, and resolve to create it by the end of the year?

1. Write a book
2. Publish articles, white papers, workbooks – and post them to your website
3. Send information-driven emails – weekly
4. Develop two or three signature speeches and speak – everywhere
5. Create a catchy tagline that claims your expertise

Previous Persuasion Pillars (triggers)
1. Take and Give
2. Doubling Down
3. Social Proof
4. How Can I Get You to Like Me?

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #4: Liking

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #4: Liking

How can I get you to like me when all we’ve ever done is email?

There is nothing more powerful in making a sale than liking the sales person.

Think about it. Don’t we all tend to give business to people we know and like? It’s human nature.

This is tough when it comes to sales writing. You don’t have the advantage of a firm handshake, eye-to-eye contact, your personality shining through.

This is the 4th in a series on psychological triggers that lead to predictable outcomes – and MORE SALES.

This week’s trigger is called Liking.

This is how it works: be somebody people would like to buy from. Simple? No. But not that hard either.

The thing is how do you get prospects to think of you as a friend when you are primarily communicating in writing? After all most sales meetings nowadays are by email or maybe online presentation.

One thing I know for sure – you have to stay in front of your customer with honest, helpful, friendly information – at least 3-4 times per month – and with far more free information than selling – roughly 80% free information / 20% sales.

Where do you get ideas for all that content? Here are a few things you might not have thought of:

1. A letter from you telling them how much you like and appreciate them
2. Customer spotlights
3. Feature stories that link your company to current events
4. Frequently asked questions about your industry – and answers
5. Interviews with thought-leaders and up-and-comers
6. Focus on employee or employees
7. Company volunteer projects
8. Holiday greetings
9. Photos from a recent business event
10. Tips that make their lives and jobs easier

Previous Persuasion Pillars
1. Take and Give
2. Doubling Down
3. Social Proof 

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #3: Social Proof

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #3: Social Proof

Do you consider yourself an independent thinker – one who can’t be influenced by another’s opinions? Think again.

Q. Why does hearing somebody laugh make us laugh at the same thing? Why do we read Oprah’s book picks? Why do late night hosts influence what we think about politics?

A.
Because we tend to determine what is correct by looking to others to see what they think is correct. This principle is particularly true when it comes to deciding where to put our hard-earned money.

In the last couple of Jigsaws, I wrote about psychological triggers that lead to predictable outcomes. They are all based on the 6 Pillars of Persuasion that bring readers to ‘yes’ – a huge benefit when trying to convert prospects.

This week’s trigger – #3 in the series – is known as Social Proof. And we are all subject to it at some point in our lives.

What is Social Proof? It is simply anything that offers proof that other people think something is good. That seems to be good enough to get some people to buy.

Here are 3 pieces of proof that will add power to your sales copy – and lead readers to ‘yes’.

Testimonials. Position them so that they are one of the first things readers see.

Case Studies. Far more detailed than testimonials, they add an extra layer of proof.

Numbers. Click-throughs, people in attendance, sales to date are proof that other people bought. And according to the law of social influence, that is enough to persuade others to buy as well.

Previous Persuasion Pillars
1. Take and Give
2. Doubling Down

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Doubling Down on an Investment – Rule #2

Doubling Down on an Investment – Rule #2

This is the second in a series devoted to the concept of psychological triggers in human behavior that lead to predictable outcomes – with a high likelihood of converting prospects to ‘yes.’

Try them when writing your own Words That Sell.

Today’s trigger is “Doubling Down”

Humans have a nearly obsessive desire to be (and to appear) consistent with what they have already done. Once we make a choice, we feel an internal pressure to justify our decision – and sometimes spend more money.

For instance, say you send a sales letter to a few prospects with a link to your website where they can buy your product. Some buy.

What you can then do is immediately send out a follow-up letter to everybody who invested offering an additional related service. The behavioral trigger kicks in. The commitment generates its own support. Some of the people who committed to your original product invest in the upsell. Some don’t. But you probably will make more money.

Previous Persuasion Pillar
1. Take and Give

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.