Now’s The Time To Drive Home Your Most Important Message
Strategy — Are You Ready for the Future?
By Gregory Johnson
For many companies the recent past has been a battle of survival. Corporate planning has been directed toward cost-cutting, downsizing and retrenchment. In this “make do with less” environment your marketing message may be in limbo.
Now, as indicators show upticks in the economy, a more positive picture beckons. This is your cue to re-evaluate yourcommunications. Breathing new life into your marketing may mean starting fresh with a new idea or finding a better way to drive home your existing message. Either way, to encourage creative thinking you might soften or reconsider the ingrained“dos and don’ts.” Now may be a good time to keep an open mind and reduce unnecessary restrictions.
Think about your message and you’ll be ready to face the future, whatever the economy brings. Here are some guidelines to help you in this effort:
- Start with research that digs into why your product appeals to customers. Clients don’t just buy from you, they buy the benefit of your product or service. Make sure you know what that benefit is. Otherwise, your message won’t sell.
- Some of the most creative marketing work you’ll ever do involves product positioning. Do it well and your business will prosper. A unique benefit will set you apart. Make sure every message you send reflects that point of difference.
- Give your customers one powerful, simple reason to buy your product. Too many messages are hard to process and customers will start tuning you out. Say one thing effectively.
- Make sure your message has a hook (a new combination or memorable idea). Say it over and over again in your advertising, direct marketing, sales collateral and presentations.
- Resist the temptation to “hype” yourself or your product with exaggerated claims. Don’t tell customers how good you are, prove it to them. Document the benefits. Demonstrate the product and be careful when tooting your horn. Clients are not interested in what you have to say. They’re interested in themselves. Find their most vital point of interest and create a message that appeals to them. Give them “one good reason to buy.”
- Great marketing involves more than a marketing department. It’s integrated into all of your products and people. Review how your firm communicates with distributors and customers. Consider the big picture, that is, anything which might become a positiveor negative influence on your customer.
