Archive for Core Message
All Core Messages are not Created Equal.
Posted by: | CommentsI wrote a post recently that All Sales Channels are not Created Equal and talked about the resources that you would have to commit to each one. But today I had an appointment with a new client and was discussing their Core Message and went through an exercise that I thought might prove useful. More importantly, I discovered that you can have more than one sometime and that All Core Messages are not Created Equal.
List your core messages, you can have more than one but keep it short and sweet.
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Which one differentiates you the most?
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Which one screams the loudest?
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Who and what influences whom?
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Which would could prove the most effective?
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Which one has the highest risk attached to it?
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Which one has the Lowest Risk?
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Which one is the easiest to support?
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Which is the easiest to implement?
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In the short term?
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In the Long Term?
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Which one is the most affordable?
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Which of them is most recognizable to your customers?
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what are the best vehicles to reach your audience or constituents?
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Can you combine and optimize?
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If you decide on more than one, what is the best timing to introduce each?
So what is your core message?
Can you move forward without Differentiation?
Posted by: | CommentsCraig Crook was a guest on my show, Connecting Your Passion. Craig’s company is a Learning Center and as Craig calls it -Learning faster than your competitors is the only sustainable advantage. How long can you last as a differentiator?
As an add on to this fellow coach Adrianne Machina @ Tornado Marketing just blogged about Differentiation for Professional Services , she has some great examples, so read the entire blog but here is an example: “When we’re sellers of professional services, we need to be able to articulate how we’re different than our competitors – and that begins with HAVING a difference. If you don’t have a way to differentiate and dominate, you’ll be stuck competing on price. And that’s a problem, because there’s always someone willing to lower their prices, and go out of business faster than you.”
You do not own your Brand?
Posted by: | CommentsI was listening to Groundswell this week and they made an excellent point that I felt should be elaborated on. They simply state that you do not own your brand, your customer does? Not Hershey, Not McDonalds, Not GM, but the customer.
I have always been a proponent of telling people the best money they can save is just to call 5 or 10 customers and ask them What they think of your company and Why they buy from you? Presto, you have your brand? Now take that and start finding your target market and ideal customer.
I know that this seems to simplistic for many but think about it! If you want to have a different brand, it may be easier just to go buy another company that has that reputation. And that is what branding is, your reputation.
Now when you think about this, how does your marketing material match your brand? Does it complicate it or distract from it? D o 
es your facility and signage compliment it or distract from it? You get my drift, it not up to you to establish your brand but to support it.
My advice to you, go ask a few people about what you do? And, ask a few why they do not do business with you? It is pretty hard today to get your message heard, don’t complicate it and make sure you tell it to people that want to hear it!
How much money do you spend on building your brand?
Technorati Tags: Branding , Groundswell , Charlene Li , Core Message , Target Marke
