News
What's the Measure
of One Word?
By John Jantsch, creator, Duct
Tape Marketing
It's absolutely essential that you find a way to
differentiate your business in a meaningful way. I
know I talk about this all the time, but it's that
important.
What if you interviewed a handful of clients and
asked them this question: "What's the ONE word you
would use that best describes what we do well?" Is
it fast, attentive, welcoming, creative, cheap,
cool, techie, smart, caring? One word is tough, but
you need to get there. One simple word that sums up
how you are different. If you can do that, and it's
a word that means a lot to a lot, your marketing job
will be significantly easier.
Can't think of a word? If your business was a car,
what type would it be? Why? What are the qualities
you admire in people? What color is your business?
What kind of music do you sound like? What kind of
plant would you be? Why? (Sorry if I'm scaring some
of you with this!)
Got your word? Now, how does everyone in your firm
define and own that word. Starbucks uses the word
welcoming. If you sneak a peak back in the back room
of a Starbucks you might find a bulletin board full
of "thoughts on welcoming" written by the staff.
What if you asked all your clients and associates to
help you come up with your word and then asked them
to give your their thoughts on what that word means,
or how they experience that word. (This would make a
very fun activity for a client appreciation party -
just add beer.)
If you actually did that you might uncover some
incredible marketing material and may even come up
with the motivation to inject your word and all its
various meanings into everything you do - make your
word your filter for every marketing decision.
That's how a small business brand is built, that's
how you differentiate your business.
The trick after you find your word is to also find
ways to measure how well you are doing building
awareness and successfully living it. Sometimes the
intangibles are where the most meaningful data lie.
How happy are people? How joyful does the office
seem? How quickly do you return client's calls? How
often do you receive referrals? How many handwritten
notes do you send?
Don't think you need to mess with such silliness?
Your clients probably already have one word in mind,
the question is, did you plant it intentionally or
accidentally?
My word: practical. How do I know? People tell me,
all the time.
What's your word?
---Source: John Jantsch is a veteran
marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of
Duct Tape Marketing, a small business marketing
system (http://www.ducttapemarketing.com).
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