One of the biggest problems I run into with my marketing consulting clients is positioning … or rather the lack of it. Many think they have decent positioning in the minds of their clients and prospects, but in reality, it’s often a first cousin to “me too” marketing. When everybody’s saying the same thing, they’re ultimately saying nothing. That makes it pretty tough for you to stand out in the crowd.

Think about how often you hear things like, “We’ll do it faster, cheaper, yada, yada, yada.” What happens with that kind of message? You run the risk of working yourself to death for little money. That would be bad. You also run the risk of being confused with the other guy or gal who’s wooing your prospect, too.

The big idea here is to find a way to zig when your competitors are zagging. If you don’t, you run the very real risk of sound just like everybody else. When that happens, you can only compete on price and that’s a lousy place to be.

Sit down and give some serious thought to what makes you different … really different. The truth be told, anybody with a computer some software can call themselves a designer. The competition is stiff and it’s not going away.

What value do you bring to the table? Maybe it’s your experience in a particular industry such as healthcare, or or service like designing annual reports. Clients and prospects are reassured when they know the person they’re working with has done this before and knows the ins and outs. Perhaps you have a peachy process that make working with you a snap and totally on target. When you bring real value to the client relationship, it goes a long way to justifying higher fees.

Finding your position takes some creativity. What spot isn’t owned by your competitors? Which of your strengths can you play up without directly attacking the competition or telling your prospects they’ve been wrong all along.

What are you really selling? A copywriter sells more than words. They sell increased sales for their clients. They sell a perception or image that helps their client get the word out. A designer sells more than a logo or brochure design. The create their client’s face before the public.

When you can distill down what you really sell … the benefits … you’re well on your way to crafting a value proposition and positioning statement that really sets you apart from everyone else out there.

Until the next
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt