Simple to Advanced Power Positioning Strategies
‘Simple to Advanced Power Positioning Strategies That Set You Apart From ANY Competitor’
In This 3-day Presentation… • The big mistakes most businesses make • How The New Economy has changed things for the entrepreneur • Definitions of POSITIONING, and why it’s critical for your success • How to position yourselves in the minds of your customers • What positioning is really about • Enter ‘their minds’ as a Welcomed Guest, not an annoying pest • How to set yourself apart INSTANTLY! • And, more!
In the New Economy, Most Small Business Owners Don’t/Don’t Know How To: • Articulate WHY their product or service versus any other (differentiation) • Communicate with their customers and/or target market on a consistent basis • Stand out in a crowd of many • Make themselves the obvious/logical choice for doing business with • Attract only HIGHLY QUALIFIED, already-interested prospects • Give ENOUGH VALUE upfront before the sale is even made to build trust
How The New Economy Affects Entrepreneurs • All the power has returned to the customer and he knows he has it • The customers tolerance for anything ordinary – products, services, expertise, etc. - is zero. • Money will be spent more judiciously, so it will be attracted only to businesses with superior reputations, unique positioning, exceptionally effective marketing to tell their story, and outstanding customer service before, during, and after the sale.
How The New Economy Affects Entrepreneurs • You must genuinely earn your right to your customers’ interest and support by providing well-matched, specialized, even customized product, service, and value propositions.
Definition of Positioning • Wikipedia says: – In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization.
• A newer, more precise definition: – “How you differentiate yourself in the mind of your prospect.”
Our Definition for Tonight: “Positioning yourself so that good, qualified prospects find out about you and seek you out to obtain your expert assistance in solving their problems… or at least feel they are finding you and seeking you out.”
Why Positioning Is Critical For Your Success • Too many choices • Too many voices • Too many ‘plain vanilla’, ‘me-too’ types of products and services • There’s a huge lack of trust • People hate being hunted for business
How to Position Yourself in the Minds of Your Customers • It must be done Strategically • It must be done Deliberately • It must be done Uniquely • It must be done Powerfully • It must be done Consistently
“How Do I Compete?” • Speak specifically to narrowly defined target markets • Speak to a certain ‘someone’ • Have a strong USP and UVP • Get into the mind of your prospect and meet them where they already are.
“Tie Into the Conversation…” • “The basic approach of positioning is NOT to create something new and different. • The best approach is to tie into [and manipulate] the conversation currently occurring the prospect’s mind.”
The Critical Marketing Triangle Message – Market – Media
RIGHT MEDIA Get the right message to the right market using the right media.
What It’s REALLY About: • It’s NOT about hunting down your next prey to make a sale • It’s about ATTRACTING an already-interested prospect strategically, and creating an IRON FENCE around them so they stay with you as long as humanly possible and become a lifelong customer.
Deliberate Attraction Being a Welcomed Guest • Get a qualified prospect to ask for information from you. • Send information that sells you and sells the appointment. • Wait—follow up if you wish by mail but wait until he calls you. • Go in as welcome guest (NOT annoying pest).
The “Holy Crap!” Kit WHAT TO INCLUDE: • A copy of your book • An audio CD of highlights from your best radio talk show interviews • A couple of copies of your newsletter • A page of quotes, “What the Media says about ‘You’, _____ Expert.” • A page that looks like an article about : “Even Though We Thought It Would Never Happen To Us, If We Had Waited Even Just Three More Days, We Would Have _____.”
The “Holy Crap!” Kit WHAT TO INCLUDE (cont.): • A page titled, “All Are NOT Created Equal” • A list of famous clients and testimonials • Include a certificate waiving the usual fee for a Consultation or Audit.
Dan Kennedy Says: • “What you will be paid for, especially over time… more than for your know-how, more than for your service or work, more than for your results, more than anything is your reputation.” • What they believe (“know”) about you – – – – –
What they surmise or assume about you What they are told by others about you What they read/hear about you What “legends” they hear repeated about you Who you are associated with, who they associate you with in their minds
‘Design Your Reputation’ Exercise • What do you want to be known for within your: – Target Market? – Within your industry? – Within your community?
• “In the beginning you must work to establish a reputation for one outstanding quality, whether generosity or cunning. This quality needs to set you apart and get other people to talk about you. You then make your reputation known to as many people as possible, subtly at first, then watch as it spreads.”
Hierarchy Pyramid of Income and Power Celebrity + Expert/Authority + Certified Specialist
Certified Specialist + Expert Authority
Certified Specialist
Specialist
Generalist
• Author • Speaker
“Move the Free Line” • Moving the Free line involves giving away a massive amount of value to potential customers – for free. This results in them trusting you, telling others, and getting a “sample” experience that helps them make the decision to buy from you and your company.
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Start Writing!) • Weekly Columns – Business Journals, Trade Journals, Newspaper, etc.
• • • • •
Consumer/Business Guides Books Blog Newsletter OPP
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Start Speaking!) • • • • • • • •
Associations/Clubs Business groups Civic groups Special interest groups Workshops/Seminars Tele-seminars/Webinars Your own radio show YouTube
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Use Publicity!) • Become a Celebrity to a narrowly defined target market • Determine who your customers listen to and consider influential, what they read and consider most authoritative, what websites do they visit, etc. • Work hard at being interviewed by, quoted by, and/or published in those venues
Resources for Publicity Sources for Interviews • HARO – www.helpareporter.com
• Reporter Connection – www.reporterconnection.com
Source on How to Use Publicity • Paul Hartunian Free Publicity Info Center – www.hartunian.com/
How to Maintain Your Positioning • • • •
It’s all about the relationship Share YOUR story (Origin story) Keep it interesting (Create a Character) Share your successes (awards, achievements, “What people are saying”, etc.) • Recognize, Reward, and Interact • Add membership, ascension • Pain of Disconnect
Need Help with Positioning? • Get Private Coaching • Apply for Our Peak Performance VIP Mastermind • Upcoming Events – Icon Builder – Local Chapter Workshop
In This 3-day Presentation… • The big mistakes most businesses make • How The New Economy has changed things for the entrepreneur • Definitions of POSITIONING, and why it’s critical for your success • How to position yourselves in the minds of your customers • What positioning is really about • Enter ‘their minds’ as a Welcomed Guest, not an annoying pest • How to set yourself apart INSTANTLY! • And, more!
In the New Economy, Most Small Business Owners Don’t/Don’t Know How To: • Articulate WHY their product or service versus any other (differentiation) • Communicate with their customers and/or target market on a consistent basis • Stand out in a crowd of many • Make themselves the obvious/logical choice for doing business with • Attract only HIGHLY QUALIFIED, already-interested prospects • Give ENOUGH VALUE upfront before the sale is even made to build trust
How The New Economy Affects Entrepreneurs • All the power has returned to the customer and he knows he has it • The customers tolerance for anything ordinary – products, services, expertise, etc. - is zero. • Money will be spent more judiciously, so it will be attracted only to businesses with superior reputations, unique positioning, exceptionally effective marketing to tell their story, and outstanding customer service before, during, and after the sale.
How The New Economy Affects Entrepreneurs • You must genuinely earn your right to your customers’ interest and support by providing well-matched, specialized, even customized product, service, and value propositions.
Definition of Positioning • Wikipedia says: – In marketing, positioning has come to mean the process by which marketers try to create an image or identity in the minds of their target market for its product, brand, or organization.
• A newer, more precise definition: – “How you differentiate yourself in the mind of your prospect.”
Our Definition for Tonight: “Positioning yourself so that good, qualified prospects find out about you and seek you out to obtain your expert assistance in solving their problems… or at least feel they are finding you and seeking you out.”
Why Positioning Is Critical For Your Success • Too many choices • Too many voices • Too many ‘plain vanilla’, ‘me-too’ types of products and services • There’s a huge lack of trust • People hate being hunted for business
How to Position Yourself in the Minds of Your Customers • It must be done Strategically • It must be done Deliberately • It must be done Uniquely • It must be done Powerfully • It must be done Consistently
“How Do I Compete?” • Speak specifically to narrowly defined target markets • Speak to a certain ‘someone’ • Have a strong USP and UVP • Get into the mind of your prospect and meet them where they already are.
“Tie Into the Conversation…” • “The basic approach of positioning is NOT to create something new and different. • The best approach is to tie into [and manipulate] the conversation currently occurring the prospect’s mind.”
The Critical Marketing Triangle Message – Market – Media
RIGHT MEDIA Get the right message to the right market using the right media.
What It’s REALLY About: • It’s NOT about hunting down your next prey to make a sale • It’s about ATTRACTING an already-interested prospect strategically, and creating an IRON FENCE around them so they stay with you as long as humanly possible and become a lifelong customer.
Deliberate Attraction Being a Welcomed Guest • Get a qualified prospect to ask for information from you. • Send information that sells you and sells the appointment. • Wait—follow up if you wish by mail but wait until he calls you. • Go in as welcome guest (NOT annoying pest).
The “Holy Crap!” Kit WHAT TO INCLUDE: • A copy of your book • An audio CD of highlights from your best radio talk show interviews • A couple of copies of your newsletter • A page of quotes, “What the Media says about ‘You’, _____ Expert.” • A page that looks like an article about : “Even Though We Thought It Would Never Happen To Us, If We Had Waited Even Just Three More Days, We Would Have _____.”
The “Holy Crap!” Kit WHAT TO INCLUDE (cont.): • A page titled, “All Are NOT Created Equal” • A list of famous clients and testimonials • Include a certificate waiving the usual fee for a Consultation or Audit.
Dan Kennedy Says: • “What you will be paid for, especially over time… more than for your know-how, more than for your service or work, more than for your results, more than anything is your reputation.” • What they believe (“know”) about you – – – – –
What they surmise or assume about you What they are told by others about you What they read/hear about you What “legends” they hear repeated about you Who you are associated with, who they associate you with in their minds
‘Design Your Reputation’ Exercise • What do you want to be known for within your: – Target Market? – Within your industry? – Within your community?
• “In the beginning you must work to establish a reputation for one outstanding quality, whether generosity or cunning. This quality needs to set you apart and get other people to talk about you. You then make your reputation known to as many people as possible, subtly at first, then watch as it spreads.”
Hierarchy Pyramid of Income and Power Celebrity + Expert/Authority + Certified Specialist
Certified Specialist + Expert Authority
Certified Specialist
Specialist
Generalist
• Author • Speaker
“Move the Free Line” • Moving the Free line involves giving away a massive amount of value to potential customers – for free. This results in them trusting you, telling others, and getting a “sample” experience that helps them make the decision to buy from you and your company.
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Start Writing!) • Weekly Columns – Business Journals, Trade Journals, Newspaper, etc.
• • • • •
Consumer/Business Guides Books Blog Newsletter OPP
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Start Speaking!) • • • • • • • •
Associations/Clubs Business groups Civic groups Special interest groups Workshops/Seminars Tele-seminars/Webinars Your own radio show YouTube
How to Start Positioning Yourself (Use Publicity!) • Become a Celebrity to a narrowly defined target market • Determine who your customers listen to and consider influential, what they read and consider most authoritative, what websites do they visit, etc. • Work hard at being interviewed by, quoted by, and/or published in those venues
Resources for Publicity Sources for Interviews • HARO – www.helpareporter.com
• Reporter Connection – www.reporterconnection.com
Source on How to Use Publicity • Paul Hartunian Free Publicity Info Center – www.hartunian.com/
How to Maintain Your Positioning • • • •
It’s all about the relationship Share YOUR story (Origin story) Keep it interesting (Create a Character) Share your successes (awards, achievements, “What people are saying”, etc.) • Recognize, Reward, and Interact • Add membership, ascension • Pain of Disconnect
Need Help with Positioning? • Get Private Coaching • Apply for Our Peak Performance VIP Mastermind • Upcoming Events – Icon Builder – Local Chapter Workshop
