Remember that time in elementary school when you were SO excited to volunteer the answer, only to have the teacher call on someone ELSE? Deflated, you put your hand down and exclaimed, “I was going to SAY that!”
Well… today I am going to tell you why I don’t ever want you to have the “right” answer again.
In today’s crowded business landscape, having the right answer is expected, if not ordinary. To stand out, you need to have a different answer.
The bottom line is, when you point out the differences in your approach, you rise to expert level. All of a sudden, you aren’t competing with all the people who have the “right” answer… you’re in a league of your own. When I explain this to people, I call it defiance… yes, a strong word, but it gets my point across. You need to be defiant of the common approach to stand out and attract the kind of fans and followers that will end up being customers.
In online marketing, for example, there is common advice out there to post frequently, plan pretty pictures, and get as many followers as you can. Following these steps leaves out key ingredients that I teach, like establishing a unique market position and a funnel system before you plan your content. After all, lots of pretty content and followers WITHOUT conversions isn’t going to grow your business. A unique market position and funnels that convert those followers WILL grow your business.
Now it’s your turn.
First, write out the common framework, step by step, that people usually use to sell your product or service. For example, if you’re in food service, what ingredients and cooking process do people usually use and why? If you’re in retail, what materials do people usually use and why? Really think about your industry and common consumer beliefs. In my example above, I talked about frequent posting and gaining fans and followers as a common approach.
Then, write out YOUR framework and highlight how it differs from the norm. In my example above, you saw how I did that when I said that I help people establish a unique market position and conversion funnel at the start of their online marketing program, so that they convert customers right away.
Taking these steps achieves two things. First, prospective customers relate to the norm—especially if they’ve tried the norm and it hasn’t worked for them. Then, they see your approach and automatically categorize you as an expert because you are offering something new and unique.
And here’s the bonus… none of this requires you to change your products or services. You’re just changing how you talk about them. Remember, your product is NOT your offer, and ninety-nine percent of the time, your marketing problems are not caused by your products, they are caused by your offer.
Okay! Now you know why I don’t ever want you to have the “right” answer again.
