Key questions we should be asking ourselves if we want to consistently win new customers

1. 5 Questions We Should be Asking Ourselves … if we want to consistently win more new customers.

3. Question 1 Are we clearly communicating what makes us different?

4. It’s not good enough if we just offer something different … we need to also make it meaningfully visible for the customer, and help them remember it. Even if we only have 2 other competitors, our customers will still have 2 other choices!

6. Question 2 Are we absolutely focused on our target customers?

7. The philosophy “Love All, Serve All” might work for Hard Rock Café … … but most businesses need to focus on those that they are meant to serve ! Others just consume our time and lead us to make wrong decisions.

9. Question 3 Have we uniquely positioned our offering in the minds of our customers?

10. The battle takes place in the mind Positioning is about favorably distinguishing ourselves in the minds of our target customers.

11. It’s about perception – Advice from strategic marketing guru Jack Trout (father of positioning) in his book “The Power of Simplicity” “ A differentiating idea must have a competitive mental angle … This does not necessarily mean a better product or service, but rather there needs to be an element of differentness.” “ It’s the perception that must be considered in the selection of the idea, not the reality. A competitive mental angle is the point in the mind that allows your marketing program to work effectively. That’s the point that you need to leverage to achieve results.” The power of positioning is so strong that we need to make it visible in all we do.

12. First we feel, then we act It’s hard to drive away with the customer if you haven’t first “started their engine”!

13. But we sell to engineers who rationally evaluate Still, that doesn’t stop them from first “feeling”. It’s just that what gets them smiling is probably different than for a music teacher.

14. Three very important and integrated strategies Customer DIFFERENTIATION HOW we should be best POSITIONING PERCEIVED as best SEGMENTATION For WHOM should we be best Purchasing Process Product requirements (Rational) Short listing (Emotional) Final buying decision (Emotional) Evaluation (Rational) Product Company Research Pre-Purchasing Process

15. Question 4 Is our message and offering one and the same?

16. Meaningful messaging is not a pitch. It’s something we earn!

17. And this requires that we are in sync! We need to harmonize our strategies and tactics across the company and work as a synchronized team. That’s the only way to ensure the customer that we are rowing with them towards a common destination.

18. Question 5 Are we more convincing than our competitors?

19. We need to deliver a simple and more compelling reason to buy from us. Skepticism is easily created when our positioning, branding, value argumentation and actual offering are not tightly intertwined and also in sync with how people perceive things.

20. Construct solution messaging like a sky scraper Features & Technology Benefits Customer value Credibility Needed product capabilities Product desirables Value propositions

21. But you know what? We aren’t the only ones building a sky scraper.

22. But you know what? You aren’t the only one building a sky scraper! You might not be the tallest, but you can offer something DIFFERENT. Make it visible and meaningful!

23. So we need to make sure that we stand out Features & Technology Benefits Positioning Customer value Credibility Needed product capabilities Product desirables Value propositions Perceived reason to buy and what we base all our marketing communications & strategies on.

24. We live in an overcommunicated world where more is sent and less is received. Positioning Customer values Benefits Features & Technology Value Argumentation Message Triangle Core message Information needed for our message to be successful Additional and helpful info Nice if they also read Our communications need to be clear, simple and resonate with the customer. Therefore we need to tell it top-down, not bottom-up

25. We also need to remember that customers see us from the “outside-in” We’re not going to connect with them if we tell things from the “inside-out”.

27. Have you spotted some weak points? You might then appreciate some help.

30. Strategic marketing is an integrated process ... that gets us synchronized and rowing with the customer Your brand Differentiation Positioning Web Sales kit materials Messaging Arguments Offering Competition Marcom plan Training GTM plan Segmentation

33. My contact details are Dante Iacovoni [email_address] Office +46 (0)8 517 85 755 Mobile +46 (0)73 88 00 150