If you've been following me for any amount of time you know I talk a lot about understanding the real problem you solve for ideal customers and then using that as a message of differentiation.
Nobody wants the products, services, subscriptions, or solutions your business sells, they want their problems solved.
Rather than spending time talking about your own years in business and what you do, it’s more important to connect with a potential client about the challenges they are facing.
You start this approach by thinking about the problems you know you can solve and create your message around the vision of what your ideal client is looking for.
This approach will probably involve changing the context of how the world views what you do.
For example, if you are a tree service contractor, instead of marketing your business as removing trees, perhaps you are leaving their property better than you found it or never leaving tread or wheel marks in their yard.
Today I want to bring forth a real-life case study from one of our clients. We conducted our marketing diagnosis, determined the real problem their ideal customers want solved, and transformed that problem into their message of differentiation.
Now when most prospects reach out to them, they want to learn more about how they will do what they promised not how much it cost.
The secret for any small business to make price a non-sticking point is to offer your service with some remarkable and desirable element that is wanted and valued by ideal clients.
Until you can offer a solid reason for why a prospect should buy from or hire you over the competition, you’ll compete on price.
This is why solution selling and responding to RFPs isn't for everyone, because in general, they make every business look the same and make price the primary issue.
What I advise small businesses to do is start with a diagnosis before prescription. That means start talking to your clients searching for the real problem you solve and that remarkable or desirable element of your service delivery that can't be compared.
For example, one industry that we typically work with is home service contractors that attract a specific type of homeowner. After interviewing hundreds of homeowners across various contractor firms we spotted the following insights that take price out of the equation:
If you’re a small local service provider that needs help with attracting better customers or your online presence on Google and other search engines, at Indispensable Marketing we can help. We offer marketing strategy consulting, marketing audits, monthly marketing packages, consultations, exploratory calls or monthly local SEO services. Contact us for more information.
Indispensable Marketing takes a process approach to developing and installing your small business marketing.