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Casual Articles - Catapult Your Business-How to Get Customers to Chase You Instead of the Other Way Around
Ask most people why they are in business and they will give you any number of reasons. Things such as wanting to improve the lives of others; make the world a better place; provide for their family; have more free time; the list goes on and on.Fact is business is about making money, which means the bottom line is the bottom line. Many business owners, managers and sales people seem to forget this. If you don’t have a strong bottom line you cannot continue to do business for very long. And if you can’t continue to do business you cannot achieve the other primary reasons you do what you do. The way you get a sturdy bottom line is to understand some basic truths about business.A few fundamentals to running a successful business are to know what your product or service is, who your customer is, who you are, what drives you in business, and what trends are impacting the economy and marketplace.Many people run their business without these key ingredients. Sure, a company can survive, but is survival all you are seeking? Don’t you want more? As previously mentioned, most people are in business to design
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want
Getting your best deal when you sell your business is a major challenge. Unfortunately, it is a process all too many business owners take too lightly. They end up settling for less when they fail to employ strategic business thinking to all elements of the selling process and transaction. To help you get your best deal; I have developed a ten-step process you can follow to help you achieve your goals.One thing I've found is that getting your best deal often depends on recruiting and using the right team of advisors. These advisors include your attorney, accountant, financial planner and consultant and/or investment banker. These professionals comprise the team you will need to achieve the most dollars and the best terms. Each has his/her own specific skills and you will need them all. The few dollars you spend for professional assistance (usually 10%, or less, of what you receive from the sale (as you receive it) will more than pay for itself in getting you a better outcome. The steps in this process appear deceptively simple but require discipline, hard work and sometimes painfully honest self-assessment
The Small Business Administration tells us that 80% of all small businesses will not make it more than 2 years, and by 5 years 90% will have gone out of business.
If that is the case, then why does every business out there try to be like the others? Most copy everything right down to the way everyone else in the same industry lays out their office.
The reasons I get from clients
Can we then assume that they are all wrong? Yes! At least 80% of them!
Finding How to Be Different Will Bring More Success Faster Than Trying to Be Like Everyone Else
For most companies there is someone just like you on literally every street corner in the world. Isn’t it a little hard to get noticed standing in a crowd that all look alike?
If you want to be noticed, don’t you have to look different, do something that would make you stand head and shoulders above that crowd?
I’m going to give you two points here that, if you decide to follow them, will make your business so visible that people are chasing you to buy from you instead of the other way around. It will make your business a magnet, pulling customers in.
Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition, That Thing that Makes you so visible above the crowd that they are chasing you
When I’m working with my executive business coaching clients I spend a significant amount of our time trying to find what would make my clients different. This one idea alone can make you super successful if you find your powerful unique selling proposition.
Let’s start a worksheet on a piece of paper. On the far left create a column called Products/Features/Services, and list all of your products, your features, your services down that column. List each on their own line down the left side.
Next to that create a column, label it, “Benefits, What would a client get from buying my product or service. This is an answer to “Why buy my product (service).”
Don’t worry about perfection here. This is a thought process that will get better the more you think about it, and until you start writing down your thoughts it isn’t going to get better. So start now. This is a process. You’ll find that your early answers will be rather weak and wishy washy. You might not think so when you first write them down, but I’ll guarantee that the more you review this each time you’ll look back and realize how far off target you’ve been when talking about your product before, and probably still are in the early phases of what we are doing right now.
Make sure that, as you write the answers in each column to the right, that they line up with a product or service on the same line of the first column. So, answer the same question for each product or service.
The next column to the right is “Why buy it from me?” In other words, if someone has already decided to buy the product based on the benefit you just wrote in the 2nd column, and IF there really is someone just like me on every street corner, then give a reason why they should buy from you, or even better, why should you be noticed above that crowd on every street corner. A quick suggestion: Before you go where everyone else goes—your answer shouldn’t have anything to do with being less expensive. If you go there you’ll lose. Everybody else is already there. You’ll just be looking like everybody else anyway. Take your best shot at this, we’ll come back and get it better later.
Now, the last column:
• Take both the Why buy the product?
• And Why Buy it from me?
• And turn them into measurable results.
Finding the right measurable result is where you’ll find your opportunity to stand out above the crowd, where you’ll find a statement that will make your company a magnet to customers.
I want you to step back and really look at all of those answers. Did you answer all of the questions based on what benefit the customer really receives? Or was it still about the product/service, was it kind of iffy, wishy washy, weak?.
I’ll use one of my client’s businesses. He is a business coach as well. I coach the coaches, a business advisor to business advisors. His product is business coaching, training, sales training.
Now for the benefit a customer might receive: It’s almost too easy to say education, better skills, but that’s not digging deep enough.
Benefits:
Increased business, increased bottom line, easier to run business. In my opinion that is still a little weak. But let’s move on so that you get the idea. And I suggest you do the same. Get the ideas down at first. Then, after completing all of the other columns come back and look at it with the new ideas that will have been generated.
Why buy it from me?
It’s a little too easy to say that he gives them training, or does it at a better price than others. If he digs deep enough, he gives them results instead of training. Where most companies provide training for a day, he’ll ask the client what he wants and dig for that deeper answer, and then focus on delivering results, not just training. Still not where I want it. It’s still weak.
For the measurements:
Small business clients that act on the ideas they generate together double their business in 3-4 weeks, and he’ll guarantee a 2:1 ROI on his fee.
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want
There is another set of options regarding the style of writing ads. With the understanding that there are basically two kinds of ads:1) Direct Response, meaning that you are directing an immediate response,2) Image Enhancing ads, meaning that you are trying to instill an image of irresistibility that will be remembered when they are ready to act on your product.There are even two basic ways to style these two kinds of ad writing. The first we'll call "Slam Bam". This is the "meat and potatoes", "here's what's in it for you" style approach that gets right to the point. There is no fat, no build-up and no impressive style points- eg. "If you want to get the girls, you gotta get a Porsche!" (from the movie "Crazy People") This style appeals to those of us who like to cut to the chase; they want the rational argument, not manipulation; they want to get their entertainment and amusement on their own terms. They prefer the "bottom line". This kind of ad is what you would tell your father if he asked you what you sold. There are a lot of people who appreciate the respe
Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition, That Thing that Makes you so visible above the crowd that they are chasing you
When I’m working with my executive business coaching clients I spend a significant amount of our time trying to find what would make my clients different. This one idea alone can make you super successful if you find your powerful unique selling proposition.
Let’s start a worksheet on a piece of paper. On the far left create a column called Products/Features/Services, and list all of your products, your features, your services down that column. List each on their own line down the left side.
Next to that create a column, label it, “Benefits, What would a client get from buying my product or service. This is an answer to “Why buy my product (service).”
Don’t worry about perfection here. This is a thought process that will get better the more you think about it, and until you start writing down your thoughts it isn’t going to get better. So start now. This is a process. You’ll find that your early answers will be rather weak and wishy washy. You might not think so when you first write them down, but I’ll guarantee that the more you review this each time you’ll look back and realize how far off target you’ve been when talking about your product before, and probably still are in the early phases of what we are doing right now.
Make sure that, as you write the answers in each column to the right, that they line up with a product or service on the same line of the first column. So, answer the same question for each product or service.
The next column to the right is “Why buy it from me?” In other words, if someone has already decided to buy the product based on the benefit you just wrote in the 2nd column, and IF there really is someone just like me on every street corner, then give a reason why they should buy from you, or even better, why should you be noticed above that crowd on every street corner. A quick suggestion: Before you go where everyone else goes—your answer shouldn’t have anything to do with being less expensive. If you go there you’ll lose. Everybody else is already there. You’ll just be looking like everybody else anyway. Take your best shot at this, we’ll come back and get it better later.
Now, the last column:
• Take both the Why buy the product?
• And Why Buy it from me?
• And turn them into measurable results.
Finding the right measurable result is where you’ll find your opportunity to stand out above the crowd, where you’ll find a statement that will make your company a magnet to customers.
I want you to step back and really look at all of those answers. Did you answer all of the questions based on what benefit the customer really receives? Or was it still about the product/service, was it kind of iffy, wishy washy, weak?.
I’ll use one of my client’s businesses. He is a business coach as well. I coach the coaches, a business advisor to business advisors. His product is business coaching, training, sales training.
Now for the benefit a customer might receive: It’s almost too easy to say education, better skills, but that’s not digging deep enough.
Benefits:
Increased business, increased bottom line, easier to run business. In my opinion that is still a little weak. But let’s move on so that you get the idea. And I suggest you do the same. Get the ideas down at first. Then, after completing all of the other columns come back and look at it with the new ideas that will have been generated.
Why buy it from me?
It’s a little too easy to say that he gives them training, or does it at a better price than others. If he digs deep enough, he gives them results instead of training. Where most companies provide training for a day, he’ll ask the client what he wants and dig for that deeper answer, and then focus on delivering results, not just training. Still not where I want it. It’s still weak.
For the measurements:
Small business clients that act on the ideas they generate together double their business in 3-4 weeks, and he’ll guarantee a 2:1 ROI on his fee.
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want
When you own a small business and have never owned a business before then it would be understandable if you needed some bankruptcy help. There is nothing to be ashamed of, you may not know which section of bankruptcy to file for and we can help you. One of the first questions to be answered is your business a partnership or a sole proprietorship? If you own a corporation there are limited liabilities for companies and partnerships that are legal entities that are separate from their partners. In cases like these then, you can file Chapter 7 or Chapter 11.If you have partners and you choose Chapter 7 then you should know that in a Chapter 7 case the trustee that is appointed by the court can sue the general partners if the partnership’s assets are not enough to pay for the entire debt. The partners could be sued by a well funded trustee suing on the behalf of all of the business creditors. If you have a proprietorship then they are pretty much just an extension of the owner and a Chapter 7, Chapter 11 or a Chapter 13 may apply.Chapter 7 is equal to liquidation and Chapters 11 and 13 are about reorganizati
Make sure that, as you write the answers in each column to the right, that they line up with a product or service on the same line of the first column. So, answer the same question for each product or service.
The next column to the right is “Why buy it from me?” In other words, if someone has already decided to buy the product based on the benefit you just wrote in the 2nd column, and IF there really is someone just like me on every street corner, then give a reason why they should buy from you, or even better, why should you be noticed above that crowd on every street corner. A quick suggestion: Before you go where everyone else goes—your answer shouldn’t have anything to do with being less expensive. If you go there you’ll lose. Everybody else is already there. You’ll just be looking like everybody else anyway. Take your best shot at this, we’ll come back and get it better later.
Now, the last column:
• Take both the Why buy the product?
• And Why Buy it from me?
• And turn them into measurable results.
Finding the right measurable result is where you’ll find your opportunity to stand out above the crowd, where you’ll find a statement that will make your company a magnet to customers.
I want you to step back and really look at all of those answers. Did you answer all of the questions based on what benefit the customer really receives? Or was it still about the product/service, was it kind of iffy, wishy washy, weak?.
I’ll use one of my client’s businesses. He is a business coach as well. I coach the coaches, a business advisor to business advisors. His product is business coaching, training, sales training.
Now for the benefit a customer might receive: It’s almost too easy to say education, better skills, but that’s not digging deep enough.
Benefits:
Increased business, increased bottom line, easier to run business. In my opinion that is still a little weak. But let’s move on so that you get the idea. And I suggest you do the same. Get the ideas down at first. Then, after completing all of the other columns come back and look at it with the new ideas that will have been generated.
Why buy it from me?
It’s a little too easy to say that he gives them training, or does it at a better price than others. If he digs deep enough, he gives them results instead of training. Where most companies provide training for a day, he’ll ask the client what he wants and dig for that deeper answer, and then focus on delivering results, not just training. Still not where I want it. It’s still weak.
For the measurements:
Small business clients that act on the ideas they generate together double their business in 3-4 weeks, and he’ll guarantee a 2:1 ROI on his fee.
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want
In a statement that surprised gamers and non-gamers alike, Peter Moore of Microsoft Xbox, endorsed Nintendo's new Wii console. Speculations circulated whether this statement by Moore was a genuine praise or a calculated move designed to offset the launch of Sony PlayStation 3. Moore even referred to himself as a big fan of the Nintendo console. He suggested that for the price of a PS3, gamers would be able to get a new Xbox 360 plus a Nintendo Wii, with some leftover for a few games. It can be recalled that Sony pegged the price of their new PlayStation at $499-$599, a price the company claimed to be fit for a Blu-ray console.This move by Microsoft seemed to be another tactic to push the Xbox 360 sales higher with the imminent release of the PS3 at its heels. Peter Moore was downplaying the viability of the PS3 by pointing out the only disadvantage of the new Sony console: its price. But Moore's reason was not only consumer concern. Moore's statement also implied that Microsoft do not see Nintendo as direct threat and competitor. Perhaps he thought that having Nintendo's support would clearly buoy Microsoft's s
I’ll use one of my client’s businesses. He is a business coach as well. I coach the coaches, a business advisor to business advisors. His product is business coaching, training, sales training.
Now for the benefit a customer might receive: It’s almost too easy to say education, better skills, but that’s not digging deep enough.
Benefits:
Increased business, increased bottom line, easier to run business. In my opinion that is still a little weak. But let’s move on so that you get the idea. And I suggest you do the same. Get the ideas down at first. Then, after completing all of the other columns come back and look at it with the new ideas that will have been generated.
Why buy it from me?
It’s a little too easy to say that he gives them training, or does it at a better price than others. If he digs deep enough, he gives them results instead of training. Where most companies provide training for a day, he’ll ask the client what he wants and dig for that deeper answer, and then focus on delivering results, not just training. Still not where I want it. It’s still weak.
For the measurements:
Small business clients that act on the ideas they generate together double their business in 3-4 weeks, and he’ll guarantee a 2:1 ROI on his fee.
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want
Your business will not succeed unless you sell the product or service you are offering. That is the goal of any business, whether large or small, home based or brick-and-mortar. And you will not make sales without advertising. It’s a proven marketing fact that all sales begin as an advertisement. Home based business sales are no exception.Without advertising, you are limited to word of mouth to draw new customers. Even if you have a website, no one will find it without advertising. You are just one person, and there are limits as to how may people you can reach through word of mouth. You need to post business ads in many venues to draw people to your product, service, or business.When writing business advertising copy, you need to keep your goal in mind. Do you want the reader to visit your website and make a purchase, send their email address to become a contact, or schedule an appointment for the sales pitch? If you do not succeed in your goal, your ad is considered a failure.Internet advertising gurus have identified a four-step process to writing good advertisements. The opening of the ad shou
Now if I go back to Why buy it from me, and add, “giving results (and how much, make it measurable, do you double a business? A really good coach can.), and doing it in 3-4 weeks” instead of just some time we’re starting to reach that really powerful statement.
Using what you find in the measurable part in your marketing, in your elevator speech, you’ll find people noticing you for a change. You’ll start to see marketing results go up 5-10 times. When you use this in a networking event you’ll have the room coming over to find out more.
Most of my clients really balk when we start talking about “make it measurable.” They are usually afraid to have to commit to something. And many have never even thought about what kinds of results could be measured.
I’ll get answers like “How can I put a measurement on it? I have so many different products. They are so different I can’t give you ONE answer.” Or, gee I don’t feel comfortable committing that I can do that.
I’ll not let them get away with that. Pick an average, pick the best you’ve ever done, the worst you’ve ever done. This is a thought process. And then let’s put something down on paper that you are willing to commit to. Let’s write down something that says, “most of our clients will get this…..” “the typical client will get this….”, and “I will absolutely guarantee that a client will get this…”
At first, many of my clients will feel that they are having to commit to something they don’t want to commit to. Well, guess what? That’s what will make you different. Pay close attention. These are the KEYs to catapulting your business forward.
Everyone else is selling generic stuff on every street corner. Just make sure that your statement is true and deliverable.
Believe me it works. I have people running over to me after chamber introductions to hear more. Or sometimes to say, “You can’t really do that….can you?”
Back to my coaching client example: Sales went through the roof when he was willing to stand up and commit to doubling someone’s business, or doubling the output of some specific part of a business, if they, in turn, would just act on the ideas, and then guarantee a 2:1 ROI against the fee. That’s measurable. That’s a very visible, clear definition of results.
Measurable results in an elevator speech, ads, brochures, wherever your getting out there to be seen will become so powerful of a statement that your business will magnetically be pulling customers in faster than you could possibly imagine.
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