Have you ever wondered why some businesses have customers lining up to buy from them while others struggle? What makes a customer tattoo a brand on their skin or camp out all night in freezing temperatures to be first in line to get the newest product?
It’s certainly something that has fascinated us over the years, and we’ve done significant research into it. Here’s our conclusion.
Your customers are more attracted to your competitor’s message.
They see your competitors’ cause, story, offering and marketing as more attractive than yours. They know the value and the difference that will take place in their life if they buy from your competitor and are more convinced by their promises and claims.
Messaging is the most important part of marketing – but many fail to realise it.
And as a result, they fail to engage their customers and potential customers. The truth is your messaging directly impacts:
- How successful you will be.
- How profitable you will be.
- How quickly you will grow.
- What your culture will be.
- How you will operate and deliver your products.
Ineffective or inferior messaging is why…
Most marketing doesn’t produce any results.
Marketing, at its core, is the amplification of your brand message. If your message fails to engage your customers or your competitors' message is better, you may as well pour that marketing budget right down the drain.
Most sales teams fail to hit their targets.
If your sales team aren't equipped with the right message that clearly demonstrates your value and backs up your claims – or worse, they have to sell a message they don't believe, how can they convince your customers to buy from you?
Effective and superior messaging is what unicorns have in spades.
If you look at any fast-growing business, they have nailed their messaging! They know their competitive advantage, have made sure it’s important to their customers, and are shouting it from the rooftops. As a result, customers are lining up to buy from them and screaming their praises from near and far!
What makes good messaging?
Good messaging articulates your competitive advantage. But let’s break it down further. Good messaging is:
- Simple - so clear a five-year-old could understand.
- Value-driven - it talks about the outcomes and the key value you bring (not just features and benefits)
- Differentiating – it defines exactly how you are different from your competitors.
- Measurable – it provides statistics and proves your claims of why you are so good.
- Engaging – so much so that your customers want to hear more from you.
- Thought leading – it gives valuable information to your customers and demonstrates your expertise.
Sounds easy enough, right? No, we know it’s not. Getting your message right is one of the hardest marketing tasks. It really is. But it’s worth it. Getting your message right is your road to glory, and persisting with mediocre messaging will keep you as mayor of struggle town, fighting for the business scraps left behind by your successful competitors.
How can I get my messaging right?
You need external people to help! We’re all too close to see the forest from the trees. You need someone objective and customer-focused to draw out those nuggets of gold that are locked away in your mind. This is the key to defining who you are, why you are different and why people need to buy from you above anyone else.
As Ray Dalio says, “Know that nobody can know themselves objectively”.
Time to discover your competitive advantage?
Get out of the rat race and start riding with the unicorns. Call us today on 1300 628 086 to unlock your competitive advantage and get your marketing messaging right.
