Focus on Your Advantage

Leverage your competitive advantage.

Why would people want to buy from you instead of your competition? Answer that question clearly.

It’s the crux of your competitive advantage. And that needs to be highlighted in all of your selling communications – front and center.

In his groundbreaking book, “Reality in Advertising,” Rosser Reeves spells out the criteria for developing your unique selling proposition (USP).

1. Each ad must make a proposition to the customer. Each must say to the reader, buy this product and you will get this specific benefit. (That’s the big promise)

2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot or does not offer. (This makes you unique or different in your specific market)

3. The proposition, not only must it be a big promise, not only is it supposed to be different, but it has to be so strong that it’s relevant and of interest to the buyer that it can move the masses. (This will pull over new customers to your product)

Your unique selling proposition is where you can outshine your competition. It will allow you to keep pricing integrity when others are cutting prices to the bone. It will allow you to maintain fat operating margins when others are bleeding red.

In addition to your credibility, your USP is the reason your customers do business with you. It is what makes you different from everyone else in the marketplace.

If you don’t have a USP, you need to develop one. Otherwise you’ll be a commodity and have no defense against fluctuating in the trade winds as commodity prices are wont to do.

Intel Corp. sells commodity products, but it’s been adept at carving out a USP through product innovation and brilliant marketing.

Apple uses great design and a cool alternative to the mainstream to inspire a cult-like following.

If your product is a commodity-type, you’ll need to get creative and dig deep into your research. Choose something interesting and unique that nobody’s ever thought to talk about before.

Make it compelling and create an aura around it with an authentic story that positions your company as the industry leader. And make it relevant to your prospect’s wants and desires.

When Claude Hopkins was assigned the Schlitz Beer account nearly 100 years ago, it was the #5 brand. In his ad, Hopkins explained how Schlitz actually steam-cleaned their glass bottles to add to its cleanliness, its freshness and the taste of its beer.

In just a few months, Schlitz rose to #1. Even though everyone else steam-cleaned their bottles, nobody had ever thought to tell anyone in such a benefit-laden way.
What is your USP?

You must define it succinctly. It must be spelled out and communicated to your prospects and customers in every selling communication.
Your USP is your reason for being.

"If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete."
- Jack Welch

President Obama Going to Copenhagen to Lobby Olympic Committe

It's widely believed the 2016 Olympics will be awarded on Friday to one of two cities, Rio de Janeiro or Chicago.


The Olympics date back to the ancient games in Athens, Greece

The finalists in the competition are Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Madrid. The latter two are considered longshots at this point because the IOC likes to diversify geographically. London will host in 2012. Beijing recently hosted the 2008 Games.

If the proximity of those games are the deal-breakers they're thought to be, then it's between Rio de Janeiro and Chicago. Although, since Atlanta and Salt Lake City both hosted recent games and Vancouver was awarded 2010, if it does come down to simple geography, this vote may not be as close as many believe.

Both Rio and Chicago have put together world-class bids. Both cities would utilize their waterfronts prominently in the games.


Olympic flame at Opening Ceremony

Although the U.S. Olympic Committee has a simmering feud ongoing with the IOC, that could be offset by the popularity of President Barack Obama. Obama is actively lobbying for the games and is widely-liked throughout the world.

Brazil President Lula da Silva, also actively lobbying for the games, is traveling to Denmark to make a final push. The leaders of Spain and Japan will also be in Copenhagen. Today it was announced that Pres. Obama will also be in Copenhagen to provide Chicago's bid with a final push.


Chicago's Olympic bid is relying on Obama's star power to overcome Rio's strong proposal

The Chicago bid presentation will also benefit from the involvement of first lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and a handful of past Olympians including Michael Johnson. Former Olympian and Chicago Bull superstar Michael Jordan will be conspicuous by his absence, though he has taped a video plea.

Of course, even Obama's megawatt star appeal may not be enough, since Brazil's Lula da Silva is "The Most Popular Politician on Earth," according to Newsweek.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, there is one major criteria which could be the tipping point: money.

Even the best-intentioned and well-run Olympic Games are a financial roll of the dice.

Lula has guaranteed the Brazilian government will foot the bill for any cost overruns incurred by the Olympic organizing committee. Cost overruns in the Chicago games would not be guaranteed by the U.S. government.


Rio's historic Maracana, which will host the 2014 World Cup Final, may soon have an opportunity to host another world-class event, the 2016 Olympics

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Olympic games have never been held in South America. In fact, Brazil has the largest economy of any nation that has yet to hold the Summer Games.

Many of the voting members of the IOC would like to rectify that inequity. President Obama is making a hard push to make sure to get a third Olympics in the U.S. in just 20 years.

The USOC stumbled down the stretch and Chicago's front-runner position has vanished. Can Obama pull off a marketing coup by nabbing an Olympics for his adopted hometown?

We'll find out Friday in Copenhagen.

Related post:

Brazil: "The Country of the Future" Has Arrived

Everyone's Self-Obsessed

Everyone’s ‘tuned in’ to WII-FM

Never forget that everyone’s favorite subject is themselves. Everyone’s dialed in to WII-FM – What’s In It For Me?

They spend all day long, thinking about themselves, their jobs, their lives. They are completely self-involved.

Even my saint-like aunt Marge, a recipient of the Sargent Shriver Award as the Peace Corps Volunteer of the Year, was selfishly interested in what mattered to her - helping those less fortunate.

Advancing our own self interests is hard-wired into all of us. Ignoring this fact is a common mistake. In business, it can be fatal.

“People can be coaxed but not driven. Whatever they do they do to please themselves.” - Claude Hopkins

All of your copy must be customer-centric. Pile on the benefits. Talk about what your product is going to do for them. Then explain the benefit of the benefit, the emotional payoff they’ll receive from doing business with you.

Stay completely focused on your prospect and their needs, their feelings and desires.

Don’t discuss your product or service unless it’s in the service of your prospect’s wants and needs. Nobody cares about your product. They only care about themselves. So deftly position your product as the solution to their problem.

People don’t buy, they choose. So make sure you position your solution as the easiest or smartest or most exciting choice among the possible alternatives.

Keep It Simple

"Simplify, simplify, simplify"

Today, we’re inundated by information. Our collective attention span is miniscule and it keeps getting shorter.

The”average American” didn’t graduate from college. As a nation, we’re “dumbing down” and getting dumber.

Avoid words that might force someone to reach for the dictionary. Don’t make people think.

Unless you speak the language of your intended audience, you won’t be heard by the exact people you want to reach. Talk to your prospects in their language, not yours.

It’s OK to use the jargon of your particular industry. But don’t be excessive. And don’t talk down to your prospect.

“My language was meant to be transparent and clear. If there was a theme, it was always to simplify, simplify, simplify.”
- Jack Welch

To penetrate your prospect’s mind, keep it simple and concise.

Complexity scares many prospects. If they’re confused, they’ll hesitate. Make sure they understand exactly what it is you or your product will do for them.

Engage your prospect in a simple conversation. Write as if you’re sitting and speaking to one person. Just a couple of folks having a little chat, discussing your prospect’s problems and everything your product can do to help him.

Write With Power

“Kill your darlings.”

If you’ve done your research properly, you’ll know your objective when you start writing. Don’t meander into blind allies, as many writers do.

People are so attention-deprived these days that you can’t bore them for one second.

Stay intently focused on your big idea. Keep poking and prodding their “core complex,” that mix of complex emotions they harbor deep down.

Finesse your copy through their web of emotions matching their complex feelings with your big idea in a powerful manner.

Use active verbs that keep your story moving.

Keep the adverbs and adjectives to a minimum.

Powerful copy pulls you in and one of the keys is clarity. Make sure your copy is unambiguous and makes sense.

Great writing is rewriting. In the editing phase, hone your work by polishing each draft. Cut for flow and clarity.

While wearing your editing hat, it’s important to be brutal and thorough.
William Faulkner once said of the editing process, “You must kill all your darlings.” If something is in your copy at the expense of your sales story, it must go.

Your final copy should get to the point. Make it in a compelling fashion. Then leave them wanting more.