First let me kill something. Unique cannot be modified. Something is or is not unique – there is no such thing as more unique.
Anthropologists and Behavior Scientists know something. They know that only a very small part of the population likes something that is unique. The question is “Why”? Because we are a) creatures of habit and b) we learn by attaching new experiences to something we already understand. On any adoption curve the best customers are majority buyers. The myth of early adopters is a myth unless you are selling a pure tech play in which case your chances of courting the early majority hitch on building a product that the masses can comprehend and put to use solving a problem with little or no difficulty (see b), yet it appeals to the tech crowd. Now that we have a framework lets move on to messages.
What makes a message work – It connects to something the buyer understands and includes a call to action that can be acted on when read. Let’s say two very capable people open bike shops. Both of these people have solid business skills, understand their product and know how to handle customers. Let’s see which one gets your business…
You are walking down a street on a sunny afternoon. You are not on your cell phone and there are no distractions. Life is good and you are contemplating the purchase of a new bike. A moment later two vans drive by only a few seconds apart. Each has a name a logo and a tag line. The first van is from Marathon Cycle Store – Get out and ride 1-800-pedal now. The side of the van shows a couple riding mountain bikes. The second van is from Wheelmen – We Give You Wings 717-215-2572. The side of the second van has a logo that looks like it might be a modern stick figure on something the resembles a bike.
If you are like most of the buying public, you were drawn to the first van because it connected to something you already knew and didn’t make you think. The message was right there. For all the creative energy companies put into names, tag lines and logos, the mistake they make most often is go for the curious concept first (Curiosity is a tool of creation, desire and need are the tools of a sale). They strive to be unique in everything they do. Good for them. Are they unique to the point that a prospect ignores them – most likely. The problem is two fold – creative agencies don’t think like consumers or talk to prospects like sales people do. Companies often spend so much time concerned about a unique image that they forget why the prospect wants to buy in the first place.
Connect your name, tag line, logo, product name or pitch to your prospect’s burning desire and you will do better than your competitor. Why? Because while you are introducing the prospect to a great shopping experience, your competitor is still trying to explain what it is his company does.
To the point – At 360 Sales Focus we have an entire integrated sales and marketing company at your disposal. How can we help you generate more business? Let’s talk about making something happen for your company.
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