Differentiate, Differentiate, and Differentiate

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Earlier this week in our Say It For You blog, we took notice of the Aldi tag line “Everything we don’t do, we do for you!”, discussing the importance of pointing out what things a business or practice has decided not to do and why…

Differentiation strategy
A differentiation strategy identifies and communicates the unique qualities of a product or company while highlighting the differences between that product or company and its competitors, Carol Kopp explains in Investopedia.com. The differences might relate to product design, marketing, packaging, location convenience or pricing, she adds. On the consumer end, Kopp goes on to say, vertical differentiation is based on objective, measurable factors, while horizontal differentiation is related to personal preferences. .

Mission statements
Just as Aldi distinguished itself from others by listing practices and policies it chooses not to embrace, many companies choose to express what they believe distinguishes them from competitors through their mission statements.

  • Facebook: “To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.”
  • PayPal: To build the Web’s most convenient, secure, and cost-effective payment solutions.”
  • Sony: “To be a company that inspires and fulfills your curiosity.”

Content marketing to differentiate
As content marketers, with the ultimate goal of influencing decision-making, we must help clients differentiate themselves. To build connection with readers, the content must be aimed to create new thinking, bringing meaning to data (as opposed to merely providing data).

Make no mistake about it, in any field, there will be controversy – about best business practices, about the best approach to providing professional services, about acceptable levels of risk, even about business-related ethical choices. Rather than ignoring the controversy, as content writers, we need to help clients weigh in on those very choices and issues. Their readers need to know what’s most important to them, what their vision in in terms of serving the public.

At its core, we’ve found at Say It For You, marketing content comes down to facts, stories, and oopinion. Facts are facts, but stories, and opinion are what helps differentiate and distinguish one provider from all the rest.

 

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Content That Sets a Standard

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Absolute perfection!  (That was my first thought upon reading this Patek Phillippe ad in a special issue of Forbes:

 At Patek Phillipe, when we make a watch, however hard we work, we can only go at one  speed. One that ensures we adhere to the high standards for which we are respected. 

We understand that some people express frustration at this. They want to us to go  faster. But at our family-owned watch company, fast is the enemy.  Because to accelerate the time it takes to make a watch, we would have had to cut corners  and lower our quality.

 And then the watch might be a very good timepiece.  But it would not be a Patek Phillipe and would not merit the Patek Phillipe seal.

Thierry Stern, President

Notice how the president of Patek Phillipe never puts down competitors, in fact never even mentions other watchmakers. For that reason, he comes across as a leader, not a follower.

In content marketing, we teach, negatives against competitors are a basic no-no. Sure, in writing for business, we want to clarify the ways we stand out from the competition.  But, to get the point across that readers should want to choose your business or practice, or your products and services over those offered by the competition, it’s best to emphasize the positive.

An alternate approach to mentioning the competition in content marketing includes acknowledges that there may be alternative approaches to reader’s problem or need, then offering evidence backing up your own viewpoint.

A point I often stress in corporate blogging training sessions is that you’ve got to have an opinion, a slant, on the information you’re serving up for readers. In other words, content, to be effective, can’t be just compilations of other people’s stuff, making that be your entire blog presence. Yes, aggregation may make your site the “go-to” destination for information on  your subject. The bottom line, though, is that Thierry Stern understands the power of thought leadership, of staying true to the care values on which your business or practice was founded.

Sure, your competitors’ products and services may be very good products and services, but they wouldn’t be uniquely yours, and your content wouldn’t set a standard.

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Stepping Out of Character in Your Content

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When the characters in a story seem to act against their own nature, Tiffany Yates Martin advises fiction writes in Writers’ Digest, that can feel jarring to readers, but it can also create interest. The author needs to lay the groundwork so that the character’s later actions will seem plausible, perhaps describing external forces that compel unusual action later on. The concept, as Martin goes on to clarify, is that, properly handled, unexpected and complex twists to a narrative can surprise and delight readers.

While, as content writers for business owners and practitioners marketing their products and services, we deal in fact rather than fiction, I believe that the Writer’s Digest “stepping-out-of-character” model can prove highly effective in capturing blog readers’ interest.

There are a number of companies that exemplify the unexpected by having two totally unrelated business lines, such as:

  • Chemed (hospice care) and Roto Rooter (plumbing)
  • Elxsi (sewer equipment and family restaurants)
  • Guiness (beer and recordkeeping)
  • Yamaha (musical instruments and motorcycles)

Diversification like that can be used as a defense, the Corporate Finance Institute explains. “In the case of a cash cow in a slow-growing market, diversification allows the company to make use of surplus cash flows.”

More to my original point, though, as Julie Thompson explains in business.com, business and professional practice owners often have a variety of hobbies, and interests, and interests. Building content around those interests (perhaps unrelated to the business or practice itself can make for refreshingly unexpected reading for searchers who land on the blog.

Another kind of “unexpected”‘ content focus can be charitable causes favored by the owner’s favorite charitable and community activities. But “the way you go about marketing your charitable efforts can either boost or tarnish your company’s public relations,” Thompson cautions, because there needs to be real commitment, not just lip service on the part of the business owner or practitioner. Still, the more unrelated to the type of business or practice the charitable “cause” appears to be, the more that “unexpecteness” factor will come into play…

Just as some of the most successful businesses represent new twists on old ideas and products, as content writers, we sometimes need to step out of character. surprising and delighting readers with a “twist”!

 

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Transform Into a Marketing Maven: the Art of Handling Your Own Business Marketing

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(image via Pexels)

Today’s guest post was contributed by Claire Wentz, creator of Caring From Afar. Through her writing, Claire hopes to inform caregivers, offering them peace of mind. Here Claire shares valuable marketing  insights..

In today’s competitive business landscape, mastering the art of handling your own business marketing is crucial. As a business owner, you know that effective  promotion of your products or services can significantly boost your reach and profitability. This guide equips you with the essential steps to take charge of your marketing and transform into a self-sufficient marketing force. By adopting these strategies, you ensure your business not only survives but thrives in the market.

Revisit Your Current Marketing Strategy

The first step in handling your own business marketing is to thoroughly assess and revisit your current marketing strategy. What tactics have been effective? What hasn’t worked as well as you hoped? This initial audit will help you identify the successful elements that you can build upon and the areas where you need innovation. By understanding your past performance, you can make smarter decisions moving forward, ensuring that every marketing dollar counts.

Elevate Your Expertise Through Education

Consider enhancing your expertise by going back to school for a business degree to sharpen your business and marketing skills. Earning a degree in marketing, business, communications, or management equips you with valuable skills that boost your business’s performance. These programs cover essential aspects such as strategic planning, customer engagement, and effective communication. Online degree programs offer the flexibility to continue managing your business without disruption.

Identify and Understand Your Target Market

Effective marketing starts with a crystal-clear understanding of your target market. Delve deep into identifying who your ideal customers are — their needs, preferences, and purchasing behaviors. This focus allows you to tailor your marketing strategies directly to the people most likely to buy from you, increasing your efficiency and effectiveness. Use tools such as customer interviews, surveys, and demographic research to gather this vital information, making your marketing efforts more focused and impactful.

Refine Your Marketing Message

Once you know who you are targeting, refining your marketing message is the next crucial step in handling your own business marketing. Your message should clearly articulate the value your product or service offers, tailored to resonate with your target audience. It should be compelling, concise, and consistently reflect your brand’s voice across all platforms. This consistency not only reinforces your brand identity but also strengthens your relationship with your customers, making your business a preferred choice.

Evaluate and Adapt Your Marketing Channels

In handling your own business marketing, it’s essential to constantly evaluate and possibly adapt the marketing channels you use. Whether it’s social media, email marketing, content marketing, or print advertising, each channel offers unique benefits and reaches different segments of your audience. Stay open to exploring new avenues and technologies that can connect you to your target market more effectively. Regularly analyzing the performance of each channel will help you optimize your strategy and allocate resources to the most productive tactics.

Track and Measure Marketing Effectiveness

A key pillar of handling your own business marketing is to track and measure the effectiveness of your efforts. Implement tools and techniques to monitor the outcomes of your marketing activities. Metrics such as conversion rates, website traffic, and customer engagement levels are invaluable in understanding what’s working and what’s not. This ongoing analysis not only helps in fine-tuning your marketing strategies but also ensures that you are getting the best return on your investment.

Handling your own business marketing is a dynamic and rewarding endeavor that requires continuous learning, strategic thinking, and proactive adaptation. By revisiting your current strategy, enhancing your skills through education, zeroing in on your target market, refining your message, reassessing your marketing channels, and tracking your effectiveness, you can turn your business into a marketing powerhouse. Embrace these strategies, and watch your business grow as you expertly manage your marketing in-house.

 

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Losses Do Have Something to Tell You: Keep Telling!

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Losing is the main thing that happens in contests,” Rosalie Knecht wryly observes In Poets and Writers Magazine. Most people who apply for a job don’t get it, most dates are not great dates, and thousands of fresh losers are minted each year by the Oscars, the Grammys, and the Emmys. It’s important to learn how to lose, she thinks.  In fact, in the social sciences, she knows, there is a whole field of inquiry called resilience studies, which examines the question of how people carry their losses and burdens.  “A loss is just a win that happened to someone else,” the author observes, “It has nothing to tell you,” she reassured writers who fall into despondency when their submissions are rejected or downright ignored by editors and publishers.

Long-term, unrelenting resiliency is the secret of success for content marketers. While remaining alert to the relative success of certain articles, case studies, and blog posts is instructive in creating new content, throwing in the towel before success has had a chance to develop is the single biggest reason for failure in content marketing. Truth is, when I started Say It For You seventeen years ago, I knew that, while my own considerable experience in writing newspaper columns was going to be an asset for blogging, the main key to success was going to be simply staying on task. Now, after years of being involved in all aspects of content creation for business owners and professional practitioners, one irony I’ve found is that  while consistency and frequency are such  rare phenomema, success depends on “keeping on keeping on”. 

Unlike Knecht’s message to writers about “losses having nothing to tell you”, I believe those early “losses” have a lot to tell us about our content marketing efforts – we need to keep on listening, researching, reading around, and “telling our story”!.

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