Leverage Your Marketing by Slowing Down
Increased clarity is one advantage of slow marketing but increased leverage is the main benefit. Archimedes said: “’Give me but a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth.”
Most people argue you need a lever for leverage but Archimedes’ point was he needed a firm spot on which to stand too.
Your firm spot is your validated business. When you know your business, you can find the lever you need to move it. There are plenty of levers available but mostly they don’t work because they are not used from a firm spot!
First, you validate your business and then upgrade it – ask: can your business be improved? In my last post I listed 5 elements for validation from the circuit questionnaire.
Take each element in turn and ask: how can I upgrade this, take it to a new level? An upgrade to any one element is likely to improve the others too. If asked to improve our business, we tend to focus on one element, our offer. Upgrades of several elements are likely to strengthen your business far more than focusing solely on one.
Getting Your Message Across
Upgrading several elements helps you communicate your message. Here are several possibilities. You can:
- build an effective elevator pitch. This is your 10 second to 1 minute account of your business. If someone asks what you do, you can explain accurately and succinctly.
- answer new questions because you have already answered many questions about your business. A question that has never been asked before should present no problem because you’re used to the challenge.
- be much clearer about what you offer and to whom. You will know who to approach and how to approach them.
- be clear about what makes you distinct from other businesses with similar offers. You will have a keen sense of the niche you occupy. This will enhance possibilities for collaboration with businesses close to your own.
Standing on firm ground strengthens your business and you! You find you can express yourself with clarity and conviction. Your prospects see in you someone with credibility.
Speaking
This is crucial for public speaking. You may need to learn how to overcome fear and some techniques to speak in public but your message is just as important.
Set yourself the challenge of speaking for 10 minutes every day in private! Dream up new and challenging topics and practice speaking about them. You will find you come out with new solutions. Indeed answering the circuit questionnaire questions and seeking to upgrade will give you plenty of topics to keep you going for ages.
This will improve your performance in debates. If you have a distinct approach to your coaching business that challenges established players, they will play down your contribution. Be ready to fight for what you know is right! And remember debating with others and tackling new objections is a fantastic way to sharpen your approach.
Websites and social media
Take the detail and reduce it to a few clear sentences that lead the reader to a decision. It may be a decision to click on a link for more information, all the way through to making a purchase.
This skill is called copywriting and it takes time to learn it. Use a variety of simple tools to capture your market’s attention and encourage them to explore following you or working with you.
Writing
More general writing can be important. Blog posts, emails, pdf downloads are all online and many of the copywriting rules apply. But these all differ from websites and social media because they are opportunities to tackle a subject in more detail.
There is no limit to the length of the articles you write. The rule of thumb is it should be no shorter than what you need to say and no longer than that!
But reading from a screen is harder than reading from paper. Very long articles are less likely to be read in full. If you can publish on paper, this will increase your credibility. Or it may be possible to publish to e-readers. This used to be called vanity publishing but the value is you make it easier for your prospects to find your writing.
Answering Objections
Your aim is to answer objections and enjoy them! A firm spot helps you do this and is important for credibility. However, you may object, a firm spot implies inflexibility.
It is possible to be inflexible and after all the validation work, you may find it irresistible. Your firm spot is always a starting point. Use it to explore new possibilities, confident you can return to it or move it as new ideas develop.
How do new ideas inform and develop your business? Do they do so for the best? Or do they detract from your business? Your firm spot is your starting point for further exploration; you can be confident and at the same time willing to explore.
Confidence
Ultimately it boils down to confidence. The next step in your marketing strategy is campaign design; choosing the tools you need to market your business. These tools need to be learned; their technical aspects and how they can be used to greatest effect. The latter can take many months.
Next time, I’ll show why slow marketing is faster because it helps you choose the right methods and use them to greatest effect.
In these posts and emails I am forging a new approach to marketing. Please comment and let me know what you think, whether you agree or disagree.
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