You’re staring at a blank screen on your laptop. Management has asked you to craft a Marketing Communications message that will stir buyers to leave their long-time supplier and switch to your products. So, no biggie. Right?
While we all like to believe crafting magical MarComm messages is complex, the fact is this challenge can be reduced to three simple steps…
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- Have something good to say…
- Say it well…
- Say it often
Have something good to say. What’s your USA - your Unique Sales Argument? Simple process. Imagine you’re retired and enjoying a life of golf and tennis in Arizona. A friend’s daughter calls. She’s just been named Chief Purchasing Officer and needs to buy the vary materials you once sold. You quickly tell her three things she needs to be aware of when selecting both a product and a vendor. That’s it. That’s your messaging. That’s your USA.
Say it well. Remember the ‘4 Cs’ of effective messaging: Clear. Concise. Compelling. Consistent. A favorite example is the old PSA: The March of Dimes. I know it’s dated, but it drives home a point. The Goal was to attract wide-spread support to raise money for research to defeat polio.
- Clear: Please donate a dime.
- Concise: 4 Words.
- Compelling: The Polio virus was a menacing danger for children and parents alike.
- Consistent: A Point-of-Purchase appeal next to every cash register in the U.S. with the exact same graphics and message. Graphic: A young child on crutches, their future clouded. A clear plastic canister half-filled with coins. Message: The March of Dimes.
It worked!
Say it often. One of the greatest obstacles you have to overcome as a marketer is the buyer’s strong fear of making a mistake. With the exception of ‘Early Adopters,’ 98% of the buying public needs to be assured they’re not making a mistake. That takes time. It means keeping your ‘4C’ message in the hands of buyers month-after-month-after month, so they become comfortable with you. Remember the old adage: “Buyers are like apples… they’re not always ripe.” Unless you’re top-of-mind when buyers become ripe, someone else will be picking your fruit.
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