During the check-in portion of a recent quarterly session with a client, several team members mentioned that their Marketing Strategy was “not working”. When I dug a little deeper during the V/TO review, everyone agreed that the Marketing Strategy was correct - they just weren’t sure what to do now that their 3 Uniques™ were defined.
If you’ve experienced this same issue - you’re not alone! Many teams struggle to put their marketing strategy into action - especially when there is no dedicated marketing person on the team who “gets” marketing.
Luckily, you don’t have to be a marketing genius to get started! Here are three simple things you can do to communicate your 3 Uniques right away:
1. Create a standard “About Us” description
To communicate consistently and effectively with prospects and customers, every company needs a standard description of who they are and what they do. This is a great place to showcase your 3 Uniques - to help demonstrate why you’re different, and why people should choose to buy from you.
Here’s a simple example from one of my clients:
A leader in the bulletproof industry, Total Security Solutions has decades of experience, is guided by three core principles: customer service, customization and speed. Design and installation experts will work hard to deliver a customized, bullet resistant system that meets your customer needs, looks beautiful, and fits your budget.
Keep it simple! Just 2-3 sentences will get your point across effectively. Now, get to work updating your printed marketing materials, website, social media profiles, and sales proposal templates with your new language to deliver a consistent message on all channels.
2. Craft a 30-Second “Elevator Pitch”
Every employee in your company should be able to describe who you are, what you do, and why you’re different - consistently and passionately! Using the About Us blurb as a starting point, craft a 30-second script that delivers a little more detail about your ideal customer, what pains you solve for them, and what sets you apart. For example:
The AmazingIT team works with small businesses with less than 100 employees who are frustrated with keeping their computers and mobile devices updated, running smoothly, and safe from cyber attacks. We do three things really well:
- 24/7 Service - by text, phone, email, or in person.
- Simplified Pricing - Flat monthly fee based on number of people (not devices) supported
- Support without Geek Speak - Our technicians know how to talk to real people, and won’t make you feel stupid for not knowing what a firewall is.
Our clients tell us that they appreciate the peace of mind we give them, so they can stay focused on the business of running their own businesses.
Next, you’ll need to teach it to your team and have them practice delivering it enough that it rolls off the tongue without sounding rehearsed or sales-y. It may sound like a lot of work, but imagine having all of those extra “salespeople” out there spreading the word about your company in a consistent and passionate way!
3. Create a “What Makes Us Different” Webpage or Video
Now that you have standard language that conveys your 3 Uniques in both print and verbal form, you have the building blocks you need to create a “What Makes Us Different” webpage or video. Call it whatever you want - the XYZ Experience, Why Choose ABC Corp, etc - anything that will help your prospective customers discover what sets you apart, and why they should buy from you.
Here’s a great video that Total Security Solutions recently made to showcase their 3 Uniques:
Remember, keep it simple - just tell them why you’re different, share your three uniques with a little color commentary, spice it up with a few pictures and customer quotes, and share it with the world!
Keep it Simple, Start with the Basics
There are lots of other ways to integrate the 3 Uniques into your marketing strategy. Try not to get overwhelmed by all of the things you could do - start with the basics, add your other ideas to your marketing issues list, and chip away at them over time.
Next Steps:
- Watch EOS Founder Gino Wickman describe the 8 Questions Your Leadership Team Should Answer to help you clarify your company vision.
- Download a copy of the EOS V/TO™ to help you clarify, simplify, and achieve your vision
- Take the Organizational Checkup™ to get a picture of your company’s strengths and weaknesses, along with a roadmap for improvement.
