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E-ssential
Message # 019:
The unspoken rule of Positioning Statements.
'We help (target group) achieve (obvious benefit) by (activity) so that they can (not-so-obvious benefit).'
Positioning statements. Ugh.
I cringe when people answer the question, 'What do you do?' with their positioning statement. After all, your positioning statement is -- like those dreaded elevator pitches and infomercials -- formula-based, rehearsed, contrived, boring and, well, everything your Essential Message is not.
You might as well have a loud, flashing neon sign above your head that screams, 'sales pitch, sales pitch, sales pitch!'
Maybe that's why I resisted writing my own positioning statement for so long. However, when I finally sat down to craft it, (thanks to Tom Stoyan, Canada's Sales Coach for pushing me to do it), I found that my positioning statement was the most valuable confidence builder I had. Why? Because it forced me to get clear about what I do, who I do it for and why my services are valuable to others.
And that's why I recommend that people develop positioning statements for themselves and their companies.
So how do you come up with a great positioning statement? Here are three guidelines that work for me and for participants in the Essential Message workshop:
- Start
with a target group. The rest of the sentence should flow from a single
type of customer. Write a separate positioning statement for each distinct
type of customer you interact with. (Yes, this means you'll end up with
more than one.)
- Be
specific. It's tempting to be all encompassing because it means you will
end up with fewer Positioning Statements, but 'all encompassing' usually
results in 'not compelling'.
- The biggest mistake that many people make is they try to develop positioning statements at the beginning of the Essential Message process -- as a way to discover their true value and differentiation. This simply doesn't work. Develop your Positioning Statement after customer feedback, and after you know which Impact Statements work the best for you.
I review my positioning statement before every meeting and before every speech and presentation. The simplicity and clarity of the statement give me confidence. I say it to myself -- but I never say it to others.
Remember that your positioning statement is only half the equation – it's the half that's all about you. If you really want to turn more people into prospects, and more prospects into sales, then turn your positioning statements into questions and conversations that put the focus on the other person's priorities, interests and needs!
That's what The Essential Message is all about.
PS: OK, if you really want to know what our positioning statement is, read the FYI below!
FYI:
If you're a consultant, advisor, independent professional or emerging company who is tired of pushing so hard to get sales – and you're ready to learn a better way to differentiate, position and brand yourself, we can help. As expert copywriters, we can help you get the clarity you need and the business you want. That's what the Essential Message is all about. For information about our workshops, coaching, copywriting and consulting services, or booking me to speak at your event, please call 416 534-4766 or link to www.EssentialMessage.com.
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