Do you ever wonder… why doesn’t everybody understand what a great product (or service) I sell?
Don’t they ‘get’ that it’s better than my competitor’s/the best on the market/great value that’s going to help them do their job better?
The fact is, the better product isn’t always the winner in the marketplace.
(And here, I’m not talking about spectacular product failures like New Coke, Harley Davidson perfume and Bic Disposable Underwear. They really were duds.)
Success often comes down to having a real understanding of your client’s problems – then clearly communicating how you can solve those problems.
Sounds easy, right?
How to create your most effective marketing message
An upside of being confined to quarters during the Coronavirus lockdown is the chance to catch-up with all my favourite copywriting and marketing ‘gurus’.
One of the people I love to hear from is Amy Harrison. She’s a UK copywriter who spreads her message of clear communication in her own quirky style.
She recently reviewed her 3-step STOP, START (WITHOUT) formula for working out the value of your product or service and translating that into your most effective marketing message.
Here’s how it works.
STEP 1: STOP
Make a list of all the frustrating things that your client can STOP doing once they have your product/service.
Using my own copywriting service as an example, not having a copywriter on-hand can cause these frustrations:
- You haven’t got time to write a regular blog or newsletter articles, update your website or create regular social media posts so you’re worried you could be missing out on leads
- You’re not really good at writing, so what you do produce is a little… well crap
- When you do write, it takes ages
Getting my drift?
STEP 2: START
Make a list of all the things you client can start doing once they have your product/service.
Continuing the copywriting example…
- You can start communicating more regularly with current clients, letting them know about your latest offers and product developments
- You can generate more leads by producing more effective marketing that appeals to a new audience
- You’re able to get on with the things you’re good at and let a copywriting expert create great content for your business
STEP 3: WITHOUT
Write down all the things your clients can now do without now they have your product/service.
And finally, with the copywriting example …
- By hiring a freelance copywriter, you don’t need to worry about hiring someone in-house to write your content
- You can rely on your freelance copywriter to help come up with topic ideas that appeal to your clients
- If they’re an experienced SEO copywriter, you can rely on them to use relevant keywords and write your content in a way that appeals to search engines (Google) and humans!
Two more examples of the STOP, START (WITHOUT) formula for refining your solution-driven marketing message
Let’s try this with a couple of other businesses (a really well-known one and a client of mine).
Example #1
GO GET – “The flexible, cost-effective alternative to car ownership”
STOP – These are the things that are frustrating people may need a car and don’t have one (or can’t afford the usual car hire):
- They don’t have a car but need to get somewhere fast, somewhere that takes a long time to get to or is difficult to reach by public transport
- The whole car hire process is painful, takes time and costs a lot
- They only need a car for an hour or two, so it’s not worth going to a normal car hire place
- It’s hard to find parking in their inner-city street if they have their own car
- Having your own depreciating asset is a bit of a bummer
START – a list of all the things people can start doing once they have access to GO GET.
- Take a last-minute trip
- Clear out all their old stuff by hiring a GO GET van for the day
- Go on weekend trips to their favourite national park or beach that would normally take ages by bus or train
- Save money by ditching their own car (with all the associated costs like insurance, repairs and maintenance) and just using GO GET when they need one
WITHOUT – by using GO GET people can get by without:
- The expense of having their own car or a second car (that’s the BIG one!)
- The need to borrow money and take out a loan for a car
Example #2
PROLUDIC – Proludic designs, makes and installs children’s playspace equipment, fitness equipment, multi-use games areas and outdoor dynamic structures. They market their services to local councils, landscape architects and property developers.
STOP – These are the things that are frustrating people who are planning spaces for playgrounds and leisure spaces:
- They need to have playspaces that keep children happy and active but they don’t have the inhouse expertise on children’s physiology and behaviour
- They don’t want playgrounds that just ‘look good’ (though they want that too), but they need to be well-designed and practical for the spaces they have
- They’re on tight budgets (always!) but still need a result they can advertise to their community
- They need to comply with a heap of government rules about safety and need to rely on an expert supplier to tick all the boxes
START – Here’s how Proludic takes away those frustrations:
- Because playspace design, manufacture and installation is ALL they do, Proludic can be relied on to come up with solutions that work – so their clients can keep their bosses happy and the communities where the playgrounds are built happy.
- They really know kids, so their clients can rely on them to create playspaces that kids love. Their clients get the kudos for being playspace champions!
- They’re used to working on tight budgets and deadlines, so their clients can meet their own deadlines and KPIs.
WITHOUT – by using Proludic to deliver their playgrounds their clients can get by without:
- Other expensive consultants who don’t really know kids and playgrounds as well as Proludic
- In-house playground experts
Now do this with your own products or services. Then, take a look at your marketing message. Are you communicating your client solutions clearly enough?
If you need help, get in touch.
