Standing for Something – Forging & Communicating Your Company’s Identity

By August 19, 2020

Identity – The Hub of Your Business

You think if you just get more leads into your system, you’ll be successful.  There’s a lot more to this marketing equation than just getting leads.  You think you’ll close a certain percentage of them and you’ll be fine.    The problem is the entire landscape is shifting.  You can’t do the same things you could in the past.  You used to be able to just put you line out in the water and you’d get fish biting at your hook.  It doesn’t work that way anymore.

THE RULES HAVE CHANGED.

You can’t just mail a flyer or put an ad in the paper, the Clipper, or the Savvy Shopper announcing to the world that you’re open for business anymore.  Just being good in sales won’t cut it today. 

YOU’VE GOT TO COMMUNICATE WITH POWER! 

Customers today are more like parents anticipating their teenage daughter going on a first date.  This isn’t something the Dad takes lightly.  He wants to know EXACTLY who this guy is, exactly what he can expect, exactly when they’re going to be home, etc.  I think consumers today are much like “Dad.”  They’re a lot more discriminating; they want to know a lot more about who they’re doing business with.

There IS business in the marketplace today.  There is money to be spent.  But the old ways of marketing just don’t work anymore. 

The rules have changed in marketing; you’ve got to communicate with POWER!

Most marketing is full of platitudes; definition of platitudes: “words are phrases that are boringly commonplace and predictable, that lack the capacity to evoke interest through overindulgence and recurrence… that are nonetheless stated as though they were original or compelling. 

Do you remember our platitude evaluations?  Upon reading or hearing your marketing could or would your prospects immediately say to themselves “Well I would hope so!”  Or might they think to themselves “Who else can say that?”  And finally, “The cross-out/write-in test.”  This is the case in which you swap your company name with one of your competitors in your ad, and if the ad is still valid, then you just failed the test. 

For example I found the following phrases on Laser Vision Center sites: standard of excellence, unmatched respect, exceptional level of care, full comprehensive eye exams, “enhancing, preserving, and restoring your vision”, we specialize in, dedicated to the highest level of care, friendly yet professional, providing personalized and quality eye care, comprehensive care and individualized service, we are pleased to welcome you to our practice, committed to excellence, superior eye care, best eye care available, treated as family, we do it all, renowned superior surgical skill, exceptional and comprehensive eye care, live your life with new confidence, our staff takes the time to listen to your needs, nationally acclaimed specialist, highest level, offer the latest techniques, don’t miss the celebration, technically proficient, personally involved, superb results, unique among his peers, optimizing your visual outcome, have been serving the county for over 20 years, our experienced staff will explain all of your surgical options, committed to delivering the highest quality care, expert care, your Lasik surgery of choice, experienced LASIK surgeon, state-of-the-art technology, the leading eye doctors, trained in the latest surgical techniques, have been serving our patients for over 30 years, latest and most advanced technologies, highly competent and experienced staff, most caring, professional care, best treatment, highest levels of training and technology, the very best in, absolutely the best care, excellence in eye care, most advanced, unparalleled care, dedicated to providing superior comprehensive services, life in focus, leaders in, trusted Lasik surgeons, leading advanced vision correction facility, passion for perfection, and blah, blah, blah.  The question is do you have any of these phrases on your website?

We’ve got to change this; we’ve got to provide details as to who we are, what we’re about, and what customers can expect when doing business with us.  We’ve got to do this with power, precision, and passion.  But not just in a sales environment.  We’ve got to communicate this through all of your marketing, on your website, in your advertising, at your trade shows, in your mailers, wherever you’ve got a message out there.  We want prospects to think to themselves “This is who I want to do business with.”  “This is who I want to give my money to.”  You’ve got to make yourself the obvious choice to do business with.  You want your prospects to come to the conclusion “I would have be absolutely CRAZY to do business with anyone else but you – regardless of price.” 

This is possible.  This isn’t a pipe dream.  This isn’t something that might happen.  This is REAL.  This is something that can be done.  This is “clear cut.”  This is “as necessary as having a phone or computer in your business to communicate with other people.”  If you don’t have what I’m talking about today – your IDENTITY… you’re not really even in business. 

You may have a business and you may be getting customers, but here’s the thing, there is a certain amount of business out there and because of the state of marketing you and every other business has, you’re going to get some of the business due to the force of the market.  But what I’m talking about is “Monopolizing Your Marketplace.”  This is what we do here at Strategic Marketing Consultants.   We’re not here to help you get a little more business like all of the other consulting companies or agencies.  Our primary goal is to help you become the #1 company in your industry and local marketplace.  And to make that happen, you can’t only rely on referrals, you can’t only rely on your past customers…  that’s all good and well, but you have to grow your business and start taking market share from other companies and grow your business so that you become 800 lb. gorilla in your marketplace.  And you’re not going to get it done with platitudes. 

THIS IS ABOUT MONOPOLIZING YOUR MARKETPLACE SO THAT YOU BECOME THE #1 COMPANY IN YOUR INDUSTRY AND LOCAL MARKET. 

Our Definition of Identity: Words, Phrases, and Images – Articulated with Power, Precision, and Passion
That Instantly & Definitively Communicates Who You Are, What You’re All About.  
And What Customers Can Expect When Doing Business with You.

Take a look at your own marketing and advertising.  Looking at it from Pat Smith’s perspective – which is hard for every business owner to do; if you were a prospect, who had never heard of you before, knows nothing about you until they encounter your marketing or advertising – would Pat Smith be able to INSTANTLY and DEFINITIVELY know?

  • Who you are?
  • What you’re all about?
  • And what she can expect when doing business with you?

If not, you’ve got your work cut out for you.

What’s Your Identity?  Draw a line in the sand and state: This is what we are – and what we are NOT. 

Some people refer to a term called your USP – or your Unique Selling Proposition and there may be some merit there in that term.  But that’s not really what we’re talking about here.  What we want to know is what are you really great at?  It doesn’t have to be one singular thing, but it does have to be what you’re really, really good at.  It could be two, three, or more things.  But what is it that you do better than anyone else?  

Your Identity is the HUB of your business.

Your Identity is the foundation of all your marketingHere’s a process you can use to begin to uncover your Identity

Step 1: What makes your company tick?

  • What do you do that customers like?
  • What do you take particular pride in?
  • What makes you better and different that most of your competition?
  • What are you really, really good at?
  • What do you want written on your tombstone?
  • What are you absolutely unwilling to fudge on?
  • What are you fanatical about?

 

Here are a few suggestions or concepts to start with:

  • Unique, artistic, one-of-a-kind product or service
  • No sales pressure
  • Short sales appointments
  • Trustworthy; you ALWAYS do what you say you will
  • Impeccable workmanship
  • You have a relentless pursuit of perfection
  • Fair and honest pricing in advance; no pricing games
  • Fast turnaround or fulfillment
  • More value for your dollar

Step 2: Build a Case

  • Imagine you were being put on trial, and you had to prove you were (Identity).
  • What evidence could you produce to prove it?
  • What stories can you tell to back it up?
  • Could you provide witnesses?
  • Be as specific as possible; NO PLATITUDES! (You may start with platitudes because they give you your origin), but now you have to be specific.

Step 3: Communicate with Power, Precision, and Passion

  • When you speak with power, people believe you are powerful
  • When you speak with power, people are drawn to you
  • When you speak with power, your character and competencies are not questioned
  • When you speak with power, you STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD
  • You’re better off offending some so that you strongly align with others
  • Be specific
  • Use absolutes (all, always, every, just, never, only, none, no, not, exactly, must, insist, am, is, are, was, were, certainly, impossible, no one, nobody, everyone, everybody, each, etc.)
  • Tell stories if/when appropriate
  • Have a strong opinion
  • Tell it like it is – don’t mince words
  • Use plain English
  • Elevate the attitude
  • Be the customer’s advocate – genuine advice
  • Communicate with power; confidence is not cocky; it’s a matter of fact
  • Find and use power words & “juicy words”

Let’s say after six months to a year or more of SEO, your site lands on page one of Google search results along with nine other companies.  If a prospect were to click on each link and visit each site one after the other, when they get to your site, do they say to themselves “Holy Cow!”  “This is the company I have to do business with!”  Does your web page STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD? 

Let’s take a look at some websites that communicate with Power, Passion, and Precision.

Taylor & Young IdentityWe offer foundational marketing that you HAVE to HAVE IN ORDER TO OPERATE YOUR BUSINESS!

Kent Mohler Identity

Garety Glass IdentityDistinctive Identity

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