| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
Are You Irresistibly Attractive?
If you've done any reading on the subject of marketing, you've certainly heard the term "Unique Selling Proposition" or "USP." As a reminder, your USP is what positions you in the marketplace --- are you, or what you sell, the best, the cheapest, the fastest, the easiest, the longest lasting, the most reliable, the most prestigious? Your USP is what makes you distinct from your competitors, but it's often the thing first-time business owners don't fully understand. Lara and I just started working together last month, and one of the first things we had to tackle was her USP. As a web site designer, she is part of a well-developed marketplace often competing with several other companies for every job. "I really don't know why they keep picking the other guy. It's so frustrating after I've worked so hard to get in the door in the first place. The only way I feel like I can get the job is if I underbid it, but I'll never be able to keep my business running that way." "Well, you're right," I replied. "You shouldn't have to lower your prices just to get every job. There are certainly web designers out there who are charging less than you, but there are probably an equal number of them that are charging more. So, if we assume that there are companies hiring your higher- priced competitors, then maybe price isn't what every prospect bases their decision on." "It sure has been for me. That's always the reason they say they didn't choose me. It makes me think that I'm going to have to lower my prices in order to get any work, but like I said, I'm not charging anything out of the ordinary. My hourly rate is at the market average as far as I can tell." There were a couple of issues that we explored during the rest of the conversation, including her pricing, her competitors, her target market, her mission, etc. But the one that really hit home was her USP. Up until this point, Lara didn't realize that she was the one forcing her prospects to make their decisions based on price. She was marketing using the Competition Model instead of the Distinction Model. In the Competition Model, your prospects see you as offering the same service as your competitors. In their mind, there is no delineation between what you and your competitors offer and how you offer it. So the only decision-making factor they are left with is price. If they think all web designers offer the same level of web site design, can complete it in the same time frame and will be equally professional, what's left? That's right ? price. Think about how you make buying decisions. If you are getting your clothes dry-cleaned every week and you think that the three local dry cleaners all do a decent job, will have your suits ready in two days, and are equally friendly or disagreeable, aren't you going to go with the cheapest one? But some dry cleaners pick up and deliver don't they? Some offer tailoring and mending services in addition to dry cleaning. Others set up shop inside large grocery stores, so you can knock out two errands in one stop. These things make them distinct from their competitors. There are people who will pay a little more in order to have their dry cleaning picked up. There are others that will pay a little more to be able to drop it off and pick it up at the same time they are buying their week's groceries. If you don't want to compete strictly on price, you've got to be DISTINCT from your competitors. That way, your prospects have something, besides price, to base their decision on. By emphasizing that distinction in your marketing efforts, you will naturally attract those prospects who value your distinction. And when you are Irresistibly Attractive, the sales pressure is off. You just go out there, show them who you are and what you can do, and they come to you! So how do you make you and your business DISTINCT and, therefore, Irresistibly Attractive? By creating your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). What makes you different than your competitors? Are you faster? Do you deliver better quality? Are you more responsive to their needs? Are you closer in proximity? Do you specialize in a particular industry? Take a moment to put yourself in the mind of your prospects. If you were hiring someone to perform your kind of service, what would you want? You can practice by thinking about your own buying decisions. If I was hiring someone to clean my house, I would want them to:
If I could find someone to do these things for $65, I would hire them. But, if I would have to sacrifice the quality of their work or their reliability in order to pay the lower price, I would go with someone else. It's important to me to have a clean house and to know that I can count on that person to show up on Thursdays before I have guests arrive on Friday. So, here's the process: When you review your materials, try to look at them with fresh eyes as a prospect would. After going through them once and making notes about the impression they set, go through them again specifically looking for the top two distinctions from your list. Do your sales materials/tools really bring your message home? Are your top 2 distinctions clearly emphasized in your materials? Are there things you need to add, omit, or revise in order to create your distinct impression on your prospects? Once you are communicating a very specific and consistent message about yourself and your business, you will find that you no longer have to sell. Business comes to you - and it's the kind of work you like that pays you what you deserve. About The Author Kimberly Stevens is the author of the ebook series, *The Profitable Business Owner: A Step-by-Step System for Starting & Running a Successful Service Business*. Download Sample Chapters & get her free MiniCourse, *The 10 Most Common Mistakes Business Owners Make & How To Avoid Them* at: http://www.askthebizcoach.com/ebooks.htm
MORE RESOURCES:
Attraction - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
What Is Your Legacy? During a recent speech, I told the audience that my mission was to empower the self-employed to succeed. Instantly a hand shot up in the audience. The Universal Laws Of Attraction You know it's funny how some people just seem to have all the luck in the world. Infact in some cases it almost seems to be unfair. Dont Let Other Peoples Walls Fence You In "How's it going?" I asked the clerk in the new bookstore. "Well you know," she replied "it takes a long time to build a business. Are You a Wildflower? Wildflowers grow from mere dust to reach their full potential.Wildflowers grow well, even in adverse soil conditions. A Mini LOA T-ToolTM The Law of Attraction T-ToolTM is the single most useful tool for gaining clarity. This week I discovered the power of a Mini LOA T-ToolTM. We Are All Literally Two-Faced "Your face is my map to your life." - Houdini, magicianWe are all literally and unwittingly two-faced. Gratitude: 11 Universal Laws for ThanksLiving The Law of ThanksgivingIt's easy to be grateful around the Thanksgiving holiday. But what if we were able to find ourselves feeling grateful year round? What that might change about your life?The Law of Who PastTo whom in the past are you grateful? Someone who gave you a break, someone who cared about you, inspired you, believed in you, or someone who simply listened to you? Have you ever sought them out to thank them, perhaps just a phone call to say thanks? As someone who has made those kind of calls, it really feels good to express your gratitude. Success Is In Your Hands - For Things To Change, I Must Change First! Do you know that many people feel they cannot achieve what they want in life because they are not in control of their circumstances? Is it really so?How many times have you heard this: "If only I had creativity like him, I would be able to develop innovative Internet Marketing products," or "if only I had the money to start the e-commerce business, then I would be able to set up a business"? Do you know that all these things are within our control the moment we change ourselves?It sounds unbelievable but it's true! This requires a shift in your paradigm of thinking and it moves you from a powerless state to a state where you can actually take control. We will now take a look at 3 ordinary people like you and me who are able to achieve what they want in life through this simple principle. Motivation for Life: What Would You Do if You Could Have a Do Over? "The only thing it takes 365 days to change is a year" - Hypnotherapist David Block"If at any time you make a mistake and want to change your selection, press the star key on the telephone pad." - AMC 20 Movie Theater recordingBoth of the above quotes imply a radical shift in popular thinking about change. One of the Many Ways That The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace Wattles Gets It Right I probably would not be able to count the number of different kinds of wrong assumptions made by well-meaning people who first become interested in Metaphysics and in applying the Law of Attraction. Magical, paranormal results seem to be the expected result. Why Cant You be More Like Me? Here is a non-scientific, but fun way to see which style you may be. Read the poem below and then identify which one of the styles is most like you. How To Bypass Your Conscious Mind and Program Yourself For Success Emile Coué, the French psychotherapist once said: "When the imagination and will power are in conflict, are antagonistic, it is always the imagination which wins, without any exception." Then you can program yourself for success by understanding the power of imagination. Top 5 Areas to Create A Super-Reserve! Last week, I had the privilege of leading a 4-day teleclass about creating reserves that will meet our needs and support our lives, forever! The goal was to create systems that automatically respond to everything that distracts, worries or confuses us, for the rest of our lives! (How's that for thinking big?) When we are secure and our needs are met once and for all, we are free to live large, pursue our dreams and challenge life on our own terms.While most of us worry about our shortage of time, money, or energy, and too often focus on working harder to get "enough", these 20 people wanted to go beyond enough, and cruise right past "plenty" to create "Super-Reserves" - a lifetime supply - of all the things that are important to them!In 4 days, we didn't find all the answers, but we made extraordinary progress and I'd like to share some of my notes with you. Knowledge is Power... So, Keep Your Mouth Closed To Keep It From Getting Away! Did you ever wonder why it sometimes seems that communications is lacking within an organization or corporate culture? It is one of those frustrating situations that appear to put a halt to positive productivity. You meander around trying to gather hacked information that you feel is important, yet the one person that should know the whole story "doesn't know a thing. When You Attract Negative People, Be Thankful Laws of Attraction are clearly defined. What comes back is a reflection of the energy you are radiating. Demanding Miracles Have you ever had an overwhelming problem or issue? Was there some circumstance in your life that seemed beyond your ability to handle it? Have you ever called out to God, Buddha, guardian angels, The Force, your higher self, Mohammed, Mother Earth, whatever name you give that spirit? To find an all-encompassing name without prejudice towards any one belief system, I'll just hereby use the word 'god' to refer to whatever or whoever it is that you pray to for assistance and guidance. Have you cried out to your god for help and guidance with some crisis in your life? Did you get an answer? Did you get help?When we get the help and assistance we've just asked for, we assume all is well in the heavens. Are You The Driver Or The Passenger? In your journey through life are you the "driver" or the "passenger"?Let me be perfectly clear what I mean about this statement. In other words, do you take charge of your own life? Do you make the judgment and set the goals for what you want your life to be like? - Or - Do you let others influence you and follow in their footsteps?This is a very important question you should be answering. Perception Is Reality "We think, therefore we are."God always gives us what we expect. How To Master The Art of Conversation The art of conversation is a skill shared by most successful people. Good conversation promotes an image of self-confidence, intelligence, and wittiness. Are You Killing Your Beautiful Dream? And the real sad part is that the people involved give in to their fears and kill their beautiful dream. Any chance of experiencing a fulfilled happy life, of living the life they truly want, evaporates.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |