Different is Better then Better

Yep, I am sick. Down for the count. Ka-put.

So, what did I do? Not much. In fact, I have watched so many seasons of Longmire (I finished it) that Rodger keeps telling me my brain may turn to mush.

Interestingly though – I noticed something. Solving a murder is a lot like marketing your business.

Go with me on this –

They try to determine who did it by thinking about what that person may have thought they would get out of it. Or by what motivated them to pull the trigger.

By looking at their past and current behaviors they then can find them – their credit card usage, their phone records, their trips, and locations they frequent.

Isn’t that what we do?

In order to market our businesses we try to determine what the person wants, the outcome they desire, and why. We figure out what makes them pull the trigger and hire us, or use our products and services.

We look at their past and current behaviors, what they buy, where, how, who they are connected to, all in an effort to put us in their line of fire.

Here is the kicker…it is not always the BEST detective, or the most experienced one who solves the mystery. More often than not it is the one who looks at the situation differently.

So it got me to thinking – being better or more experienced is not a selling point. Being DIFFERENT and showing that makes us stand out.

I know, I know, I have said that before: Being different is what makes you stand out.

But many people (even some of my clients) still falsely believe that being better or more experiences IS what makes them different.

Nope.

But that darn EGO gets in our way. It makes us feel like that should make the difference.

We do it better, we have better services, better products, better customer service, better knowledge and resources, better tools, better this, better that (yet, isn’t that also a matter of perspective?)

So why don’t prospects see that?  (said with a frustrated tone)

“Better” doesn’t bring in more business.

“Better” doesn’t make us stand out.

“Better” is a matter of opinion.

Which means there can always be someone who is, or claims to be, better than you.

Being different makes the difference.

Your marketing absolutely has to be different than the others even if your product or services isn’t really that much different, better or not. However, if you truly do have unique qualities then by all means, showcase that as well!

Today, however, we want to look at how your messaging can be different regardless.

You have probably worked with some marketing or branding professionals (or at least read some Blogs and watched some videos, or listened to some Podcasts on the subject) and many of them say the same thing…find your target market by looking at the demographics and psychographics of your ideal client/customer.

Great advice, and important, but, guess what – all the other people that do what you do are doing the same exercises, probably getting the same answers. Which then results in the same verbiage, look and feel in their marketing.

Take a test – go to your top 3 competitors websites. If you could interchange out your name for theirs, does it read almost identically to yours? Same problems cited, similar solutions (although you feel yours are ‘better’), same desired outcomes and results promised.

Back to Longmire, when the ‘better’, more seasoned detective gets stumped it is usually someone or something that is different (perspective, process, consideration) that cracks the case.

You are probably thinking, “Ok, that makes sense Melissa but what do I do about it?”

Let me give you a different way to think about how to do your messaging and position yourself not as ‘better’ but as different.

Instead of spending all that time determining who you are marketing for flip it and determine who you are NOT for. Make sure your messaging is not attractive to them.

Example: Coaches (Business or Personal)

“Are you feeling stuck, don’t know what to do with your life, want a better job or career? We can help you find your passion and joy.”

This will appeal to people who are possibly frustrated and most likely don’t have a direction (or a job which means they may not be able to afford you).

Instead:  “You are now an executive! Congrats! But you may still be feeling a bit unsatisfied with your position or other aspects of your life. You had a plan, but it didn’t exactly go down the determined road. We get it. Plans change. We are here to help guide you to merge your original plan to your reality and find that new path that can take you to the outcomes you most desire.”

They have a job, probably a good one, so they can afford you. They want to have a plan (and did) so they will be willing to invest in making a new one and sticking to it. (Coaches can’t stand people who don’t take action – these people have proven that they do)

NOTE: this should be evaluated periodically as your target/who are you for and not for may change as your business matures.

Put words to what makes you MAD about the way others in your industry do business. Could be their marketing, or their processes and procedures, or their exaggerated promises. Do it differently, possibly even call that out (without naming names of course).

Example: Health & Wellness Industry

“Lose the weight, physically and mentally, and live the life you deserve in 30 days.”

Kind of a bait-n-switch – no substance as to what the client will have to commit to. You will end up with a bunch of people with high expectations and quick-fix mentality and when they find out it is actually very hard work, takes lots of time and money, they don’t even start.

This also repels the very clients you want! They will look at this and think, “no way”, and walk away.

Consider this: “Are you ready to put in the work to lose the weight, either physically or mentally, in order to feel more comfortable with who you are and invest in who you are becoming? I will sweat along with you and do the work with you to show you how.”

The people that this attracts will be willing to work, willing to invest, see you as a guide and mentor as well as someone to help them and hold them accountable, and they don’t have any unrealistic expectations.

Show that you can not just list their challenges and symptoms but that you truly ‘get it’ – probably more accurately then they can even put into words.

If you can describe what they are feeling, what they are experiencing, in a way that even they could not express but it resonates with them, then you are different. You didn’t just list what they already knew but rather you ‘hit the nail on the head’.

Example: Business Coach (of any variety) for Growth

“We know you want increased income, more referrals, and raving fans of your business without having to work 60 hours a week. That is what we do!”

VS.: “You started a business to do what you love and have more time freedom. But it hasn’t panned out that way. Each day you are engrossed in tasks and to-do’s that are not ‘what you do’ but are necessary to sustain your business. You need more income in order to hire someone for those tasks, get back to what you love, and have more time for yourself and your family. We get it! Together we can show you how to increase your referrals and raving fans which results in more income, then how to onboard an employee or virtual assistant to take those draining tasks off your plate – leaving you time to spare.”

Make them a promise and explain how you will deliver on that promise.

What is the promise you are making? What is your mission? How do you deliver on your promise?

Your Promise is what good messaging is made or. Your Promise is what they want to know.  Unfortunately that is NOT what many businesses advertise (or if they do it is in a too-good-to-be-true statement).

How can you write about that promise in such a way that no one could interchange out your name for theirs and it still be true? Hint: it starts with also showcasing your core values, mission, and vision (we have lots of stuff on that from Quarter 1 in 2023 – check out the other articles and video library)

Being different, being unique, in your messaging is not easy. I don’t want to lie to you and tell you that it is. Just like figuring out a murder with multiple suspects is not easy (although they seem to be able to do it in Longmire with incredible success).

Here is the good news. You are unique. You are different then the others in your industry. You can find the words and the messaging to set you apart.

Happy Messaging!!