WIIFM - What's In It For Me?

Answer THAT question for your customer in your marketing - don't simply copy the competition.

A lot of the marketing we are exposed to these days is getting pretty repetitive. It seems more and more that companies are copying each other in their marketing efforts. They’ve got their eye on the competition so intensely that the customer gets lost in the “who’s the best” contest.

In addition, many advertisers talk incessantly about themselves; they display their expensive logos and company name front and center; their prominent selling point (like a tag line, motto, slogan) sounds more like an ego boost or a brag line without real value.

The obvious purpose of marketing is to acquire new prospects and customers. It is to produce sales. It is to make a profit. But the root of marketing, truly, is to relate to your customers, to get into their heads, establish trust, and always answer the question they’re asking … what’s in it for me?

It is human nature to talk about ourselves; to think of our own needs and wants; and to stick with what we are familiar with, what we know. We have to try a little harder to focus on somebody else.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone that barely let you get a word in? And when you did, they were unresponsive, went on as if you hadn’t said anything, or attempted to better your comments in some way?

How motivated were you to continue a conversation with that person? It didn’t feel good; there wasn’t a connection; and it might have even left a bad taste in your mouth.

Correlate that type of experience to your marketing efforts. Are you talking about yourself – your products, services, features, and benefits more than actually addressing your customer’s needs and wants, solving their problems, and connecting with them somehow?

Are you trying too hard to better your competition? Is it possible that, since you are an expert at what you sell, you assume that your wants and needs are also your customers?

When I first started my data entry home business, the selling points were obvious to me … Accuracy, fast turn around, and great rates. After all, that is what I would want in a data entry service and that is what all of my competitors were promoting. It made perfect sense.

So I set out to blow my competition out of the water by being faster, cheaper, and creating vigorous accuracy standards. My marketing boasted these achievements. I truly was better than my competition, I knew it, and I made sure my prospects knew it too. This was all good – but I really wasn’t focusing on my customers.

Two years into my business, I started sending out customer surveys. What I found out blew me out of the water!

I hadn’t considered that what my customers valued most about my business was the relationship aspect – personal service, excellent communication, and one person managing their project from start to finish.

Most definitely speed, accuracy, and pricing are very important … but my customers should be able to expect those features from any data entry vendor! Duh!

My marketing pieces were beautiful, well-written brag pages! I had not differentiated myself from my competitors. There was nothing apparent about my business and my services that stood out, made me unique, made my customer think “Now, that’s what I’m talking about”! Remember, the customer is thinking “what’s in it for me?”

Realizing my faux pas, I quickly humbled myself and re-packaged my services according to what my customers were asking for. I was the only data entry vendor in my local area promoting the relationship aspect … and my business more than tripled in one year.

My advice? You need to research your competition and consider their pricing, services, policies and procedures when developing your own. This is a vital aspect of business start-up that cannot be overlooked.

As well, you should always keep an eye on your competitors. But don’t copy them. Don’t concentrate on one-upping them. Don’t follow the crowd.

Do what's best for your customers. Find out what they are thinking. Ask them how you can solve their problems or give them what they want. And develop every service or product specifically to please them. Marketing won’t be such a challenge when you’re speaking your customer’s language.

Michelle Johanson
© 2006. Projects Plus LLC

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