I have spent quite a few years working with various media companies here in Australia and around the world helping them and their clients position their businesses. The common and astounding thing that is evident everywhere is how many businesses simply don’t understand the difference between What They Do and What They are Great At.
Let me tell you a story. A few years back I was working with a regional newspaper in southern New South Wales running workshops for their clients helping them understand the need for the correct positioning of the marketing messages.
At the end of the presentation we broke in to groups to work on developing each business’s marketing position. I had posed one question as being the foundation of the positioning statement:
“What are you Great At?”
The groups broke off and there was one gentleman left standing by himself (there is always one!). The Sales Director approached me and quietly asked if I would personally speak with him, he was the client from hell – nothing ever worked, his advertising was awful and he never listened to any advice they offered.
Now always up for a challenge I introduced myself to … let’s call him Harry Hopeful.
Harry started straight in “so you’re the bloody big smoke expert that reckons he knows my business better than me”. Now being a country boy has its advantages but that’s a whole other Blog!
So I asked Harry what his business did and his reply was direct, “I re-gas struts”. “OK, I understand” was my reply “now tell me what you’re great at?”.
“I re-gas struts the things that hold ya bonnet and boot up on ya car”.
“That’s what you do Harry, what are you great at?”
“I use a new technology that comes from a new inert gas that they use on the space shuttle to move their swing booms and mixes with air so that………” I had tuned out.
On completion of Harry’s monologue I responded “OK, that’s great but it’s still what you do so tell me what you’re great at?”
Harry got a bit indignant called me a daft bastard if I couldn’t understand it and then said “OK if you’re so smart, you tell me what I’m great at?”
“Easy” I replied, “ you improve my sex life!”
Now you can imagine old Harry’s face at this point and some of the colourful expletives that came from his toothless mouth.
So I went on to explain to Harry he was great at improving my sex life because my wife couldn’t use having a head ache as an excuse because the boot fell on her head that afternoon when she went shopping.
Happy Wife, Happy Life.
The point I’m making here is simple, often what we do is not what we need to tell our customers. Think about the message that you take to market, does it tell people what you do or what you are great at? Ask your staff, ask your customers, you may be surprised at what they tell you.
In Harry’s case he may have been the best in the universe at re-gassing struts but, as a consumer and potential customer of Harry’s, he fixed a problem for me and that is what he was great at.
Photo by suntom.
How very true. And not just the ‘Happy Wife, Happy Life’ bit, that’s a given, but also the fact that marketing messages should always be benefit driven.
Your post reminded me of a saying I heard mentioned at a sales seminar many moons ago. It’s from the consumer’s point of view and it’s an insight every advertiser should heed. Something along the lines of: “Don’t tell me about your manure, tell me what it’ll do for my roses.”
Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.