The main reasons businesses look to market their services is to demonstrate what makes them stand out from the crowd, the stuff that makes them different from their competition.
According to one marketing expert, small businesses are failing at this. Their marketing sounds alike and it does not focus on what clients want, said Terri Langhans, a consultant and former CEO of an advertising and marketing agency.
"Building your marketing plan and messaging around that one word, want, can set a your business apart and attract more prospects simply because everyone else out there is being boastful, blatant or boring," she said.
"Whether you're an architect or a freelance graphic artist, a health care consultant or a personal trainer, whether you're selling assisted living or air conditioning, we all sound alike when it comes to talking about our business. It's easy to go on about yourself, your credentials, process, technique and specialties, which is boring. Or, on the other end of spectrum, it's easy to slide into boastful and blatantly hard-sell messages when you explain why you're so great at the voodoo you do."
Sales people need to connect with what their clients really care about and what they need. They have to go beyond labels and jargon or the client won't hear the message, she said. Langhans named her speaking business and marketing agency Blah Blah Blah.
"You've got to connect to what people really care about and what they want before you try so hard to convince," Langhans explains. "For instance, no one really wants a marketing plan, marketing strategies or even a marketing consultant. They may need it all, but what they truly want are marketing ideas and tools that will help them get more leads, attract more prospects, win more clients and generate more referrals. They want to decide the right mix of marketing activities for their specific market and competitive environment. They want to talk about their business so that clients will listen, buy and refer them to others."
