Last week, Bernie shared that he was tired of bland events about bland business issues with bland people selling bland global solutions. And I feel his pain. As we begin 2011 and the same old emails start hitting my inbox, I truly want to weep with boredom. Where is the interest, where is the new, where is the exciting? As each day passes more people and companies are chasing an ever reducing pot of money to keep themselves going. And most of appear to be falling into the trap of being average. Of being the same. Of being indistinct.
So how do you win this game?
You know what’s coming…
Be UNIQUE. Be EXTRAORDINARY. Be OUTSTANDING.
Figure out what is REALLY unique about you (and I’ll give you a clue, it’s not your innovative business solutions). What is the thing that your clients and prospects really like about you? What is the thing that you can do like no other? What is the thing that keeps a group of raving fans coming back?
That is your Remarkable Attribute.
I see it all the time in my workshops … people struggling to define their USP (Unique Selling Point). They fall into the trap of recycling the same old crap. What they haven’t done is realise where the real power is in their business. If you don’t understand why people buy from you or choose you, then it becomes very difficult to connect with them through the messages that you create and the conversations that you have.
So take a step back and think about what is truly remarkable about you… about your business –where remarkable is defined as “worthy of notice, unusual or striking” That is your Remarkable Attribute or your USP.
A quick test for you… Think of your strapline or your one liner for your business and ask yourself (be honest!)… could your competitor say the same thing? Could you interchange the homepage of your business with the homepage of one of your competitors and feel like the message isn’t really that different?
With so much going on in our information rich society, it’s becoming increasingly important that we stand out from the crowd. That we find a way to get people to notice us. And shelling out the same old tripe is not enough anymore.
For example this is a line from a boutique business process consultancy “we have a proven track record of delivering corporate change; utilising years of experience creating innovative business strategies, improving operational processes and delivering leading edge information systems.”
But what if they tried this instead…”last year we saved a leading UK retailer over £150m by challenging one of their core business assumptions and their customers didn’t even notice. Give us a ring to see if we can do the same for you. ”
Or if you wanted to buy a bespoke birthday cake for your child’s party… would you be most likely to check out the cakes from Elegant Cakes or Eat My Cake? I know which one I would choose.
Which one has the most punch? Which one has the most power? Which one is most likely to make the prospect sit up and take notice?
Now try it for yourself. Take your business strapline and remove the bland – you might surprise yourself with what you come up with.
I’m Julie Hall and the founder of Women Unlimited, the UK’s ONLY learning and support network for women entrepreneurs. I’d love for you to connect with me on facebook, twitter or linked in and we can continue the conversation!
That is your Remarkable Attribute.
I see it all the time in my workshops … people struggling to define their USP (Unique Selling Point). They fall into the trap of recycling the same old crap. What they haven’t done is realise where the real power is in their business. If you don’t understand why people buy from you or choose you, then it becomes very difficult to connect with them through the messages that you create and the conversations that you have.
So take a step back and think about what is truly remarkable about you… about your business –where remarkable is defined as “worthy of notice, unusual or striking” That is your Remarkable Attribute or your USP.
A quick test for you… Think of your strapline or your one liner for your business and ask yourself (be honest!)… could your competitor say the same thing? Could you interchange the homepage of your business with the homepage of one of your competitors and feel like the message isn’t really that different?
With so much going on in our information rich society, it’s becoming increasingly important that we stand out from the crowd. That we find a way to get people to notice us. And shelling out the same old tripe is not enough anymore.
For example this is a line from a boutique business process consultancy “we have a proven track record of delivering corporate change; utilising years of experience creating innovative business strategies, improving operational processes and delivering leading edge information systems.”
But what if they tried this instead…”last year we saved a leading UK retailer over £150m by challenging one of their core business assumptions and their customers didn’t even notice. Give us a ring to see if we can do the same for you. ”
Or if you wanted to buy a bespoke birthday cake for your child’s party… would you be most likely to check out the cakes from Elegant Cakes or Eat My Cake? I know which one I would choose.
Which one has the most punch? Which one has the most power? Which one is most likely to make the prospect sit up and take notice?
Now try it for yourself. Take your business strapline and remove the bland – you might surprise yourself with what you come up with.
I’m Julie Hall and the founder of Women Unlimited, the UK’s ONLY learning and support network for women entrepreneurs. I’d love for you to connect with me on facebook, twitter or linked in and we can continue the conversation!
TAGtribe.com
Hear Lee, Lucy, Phil and William at…
Late Late Breakfast Show January the 18th in Leicester Square.
Hear Lee, Lucy, Phil and William at…
Late Late Breakfast Show January the 18th in Leicester Square.
