Ian Mackenzie's Business Blog – Australia

In order to make your company look like the best catch in the market, use strategic words and phrases like –

• Flexible
• Responsive
• Accommodating or willing to make accommodations
• Never try to put a square peg in a round hole
• Recognize your uniqueness
• Thorough
• Follow through on everything
• Cover all the bases for you
• Willing to do whatever it takes
• Make sure every detail is covered

An entrepreneur’s desire for flexibility from your organization implies one of two needs – personal independence and products or services that are designed to suit their specific situations.

In reality, there are more small and medium sized business than large corporations. Yet, most entrepreneurs think that almost every part of the society favors the larger companies and institutions – university courses, professional and consulting services, trade shows, published articles, seminars, books, research data, legislation, periodicals and just about everything else that teaches, and almost everything else that has value. Not only those, most entrepreneurs see the whole structure of the world as something rigid, with unyielding indifference.

Entrepreneurs have this weird concept of the world, seeing it as something too big and powerful for them to bend to their will, too impersonal to care about them, and too consumed by what is of no interest or value to them. They see the world as a place that will not yield to theur needs, or even pay attention to them.

And because of this twisted perception, entrepreneurs only want to do business with a provider whom they think considers them as something of great importance – a provider that sees them significant enough to offer them a sense of flexibility, and if possible, a “little” special treatment. An ideal provider for any entrepreneur therefore, is someone who is willing to accommodate whatever the entrepreneur needs and to their very unique needs. You might find this a bit ridiculous, for no such provider really exists. However, the trick here is this – as a provider, you do not really have to actually BE flexible or make the requested exceptions, all you have to do is to be “perceived” as being WILLING to do such adjustments.

Keep in mind that the need for personal independence is highly valued by most entrepreneurs to the extent that they have this firm belief that “I am different from all the other entrepreneurs, so I should be getting a unique treatment”. They are not necessarily claiming to be better than the rest, just different from them. And that sense of uniqueness, or in simpler terms, having special needs, is the ultimate source of the decision maker’s highly suspicious attitude towards salespeople. Entrepreneurs want to be assured that the product or service they get is unique to them, because that is the only way to ensure that it is of quality.

For you to make sure that your customers will think that they are getting a lot from your product or service, use the following words or phrases –
• Order (in the business)
• Control
• Be in control automatically
• Order that reflects your personal wishes
• No more chaos
• Never tolerate disorder again
There is only one word that will effectively remind most entrepreneurs about their business, and that word is chaos.
Every big boss in any company should be able to deal with a certain amount of disorganization within the organization, and should have the patience to tolerate it. However, entrepreneurs are different form senior executives – they simply can not tolerate and deal with the slightest form of disorganization.
When entrepreneurs attempt to deal with any form of chaos, they usually end up as victims of their own management style. They tend to feel very exhausted and energy drained whenever they try to wear the manager’s hat even for just a day. Being in charge, for some reason, wears them down that is why they would do anything in order to avoid any activity that is related to overcoming a slight disorder in the business. entrepreneurs are well aware of this personal weakness, so they know that if they accept the challenge, they will really be exhausted.
The need that Entrepreneurs have for order is also the need for proof that their lives are not being wasted by something unimportant and irrelevant. But because they are very much afraid of the challenges associated with their personal-intervention management style, they would rather get control of the business in a different way – automatically.
They think that business problems are directly attributed to the people behind the business – to themselves and their employees – that is why most entrepreneurs make sense of their business problems and failures by associating it to human factors. Since being in business is a greatly personal experience for them, it is no surprise that successes and drawbacks are almost always seen as the result of human performance (or error). Entrepreneurs do not care about external forces such as market dynamics or other academic explanations and theories. For them, a problem exists and persists because of people, and only people can solve them. No further questions asked.
Ironically, although they see every problem as something that is brought about by human factor and nothing else, most entrepreneurs do not fancy the idea of changing themselves. They could always assign tasks to other people, but never to them. Why? Because entrepreneurs want their business to be reflections of themselves, of their personal identities. That is why they do not want to take the blame.

Competition is healthy. It means there is a market for the good or service you are selling. If there is no competition, you’re in unchartered waters & you have a greater risk of failure if you haven’t done your homework.

Direct completion can be cut-throat. You are in this game called survival of the fittest. Once your weak, you’ll be eliminated which turns to loss of business, financial investment, effort and time, but once you’re strong, you will be on top and the price; fame, power and money.

There are certainly benefits to having competition. Here are some tips on how you can be successful in spite of the presence of competition

Analyze your target market and identify your industry norms

You must know your competition. Write down and observe all the businesses that are going after your same target market. If they are non-direct competitor, team up with them (Joint Venture – create a win-win scenario). If they are, how can you differentiate yourself from them? Where are they located? What are the features that make them more unique than your product? Also try to identify all the market norms (competitors pricing, their marketing strategies, their product positioning, how they advertised and so forth…). After you gathered all the necessary information’s of your competitors, brainstorm and create an intensive plan on how can you attract customers and make your product more appealing to your target market. Remember its not a wise thing to compete your customer directly and be on the same boat as them, that’s a big mistake if you will continue to fight them eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. Product uniqueness, service, support, guarantee, pricing and quality are the features that each customer is eyeing at.

Gain knowledge from your competitors and your customers

Don’t be afraid of competition. Instead of worrying competitions, make it your learning tool and assess their marketing/business model. Learn your competitor’s strength and weaknesses – challenge their strength and use their weaknesses as your own advantage. This will help you to surpass them in your industry.

Gain in-depth knowledge about your customers (their needs, are they after with the price or the quality, are they introverts or extroverts type of customer, etc.). You should need to take note of that. Ultimately, they are key to business success.

Don’t be afraid to take risks

Take calculated risk, try new things, and don’t fear change. Test, test test, the three most important words for any business. Make sure you isolate each variable when testing. NEVER test more than one thing at a time! How will you know what works and what doesn’t? Patience is everything and in the long run, it will save you time. If you change multiple things at once, it will take you even longer to fully maximize profits, as you’ll have no idea what’s working and what’s not! Tweak and try as many marketing tactics you can until you find the right plan for your business. (By the way, this is an endless process) 

Your USP must be short enough to convey into no more than 30 seconds. Alot of guru’s call this your elevator pitch. If someone in an elevator asked you what you do, you need to be able to convey your marketing message to them before the elevator stops.

Below, are 10 points your Unique Selling Propostion *USP* must answer to be commerically successful.

1. It Boldly Telegraphs the Promise of Big Benefits for the Customer
2. It Claims You are Unique and Dramatically Different
3. Being Focused, It Doesn’t Try to Appeal to Everyone
4. It Addresses the Important, Relevant Customer Concerns
5. It is Short and Simple, Concise, Memorable and Easy to Communicate
6. Interesting or Exciting, it Grabs Attention
7. It has the Seal of Credibility since its Believability is Self-Evident
8. Persuasive, Motivating and Compelling, It Prompts Customers to Act
9. It Penetrates All Aspects of Your Business, Which Totally Support It
10. It Must be Economically Feasible so that it can Support a Business

Examples

Product USP

• A shampoo and conditioner for “swimmer’s hair”
• Microwave dinners that kids can make for themselves
• Computer screens with 15% more color resolution and 24% less radiation
• A car whose global positioning unit comes as standard equipment.
• A time management seminar for career women with families
• Lightweight flashlights made of high tensile aluminum that can withstand any impact and last forever
• A home toolkit for the woman who does everything herself
• Light bulbs that shine 53% brighter, last 30% longer than competing brands, and use 10% less energy
• “Vedic grade” colored gemstones of the rarest colors, clarity and quality that are good enough to change your astrological fortune
• A French language course that involves your emotions so that you learn more words quicker and have higher recall
• A pair of hiking shoes guaranteed for life
• Toll free technical support with a live, in-the-country person
• A cruise ship for hire where the only affair aboard the yacht is yours
• A coffee maker that uses no hassle, prepackaged gourmet coffee pads
• A European shirt ironing device whose “results amaze even professional launderers”
• A steam iron that incorporates a special anti-crease agent cartridge
• An electric shaver that incorporates shaving gel
• A safe running show with blinking lights in the heel so that people will see you in the dark

Examples of business USPs

• Private Investigator: “We’ll find the person you’re seeking for a flat fee or double your money-back.”
• Podiatrist: “Free foot exam.”
• Vocational School: “87% of our students get higher paying jobs within 3 months of graduation.”
• Dentist: “Painless tooth care for kids who can watch entertaining movies while we make sure they maintain their healthy smiles.”
• Accountant: “We’ll get you every possible legal tax deduction and if you are ever challenged, we’ll sit with you and defend you for free.”
• Home Security: “Systems designed and installed by a team of ex-policemen.”
• Cosmetician: “I’ll do a beautiful job because your face is my fortune.”
• Nutritionist: “I teach you how to behave in front of food and shed excess pounds through non-toxic herbal formulas.”
• Weight loss Centre: “We’ll help you lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks or double your money-back.”
• Feng shui Consultant: “With a few simple changes of rearranging furniture or using new colors, I help you create a new energy flow in your  home that brings greater health, romance and prosperity into your life.”
• Refrigerated Trucking Business: “The UPS of refrigerated trucking.”
•  Jeweler: “We keep track of birthdays and anniversaries in our computer so that you’ll never forget your wife.”
• Contractor: “We use materials that will save you 40% on your heating bill”
• Real Estate Agent: “Our 5-step marketing plan will sell your house in 30 days or the fee is reduced by a quarter point at closing.”
• Travel Agent: “One call does it all – we’ll handle everything for you, even the tiny details.”
• Packaging Company: “Environmentally friendly, biodegradable packaging that surpasses the US FDA standards.”
• Commercial Photographer: “Digital photography with instant approval of the shots that let’s us shoot the picture YOU want.”
• Dance Studio: “Without laughter or embarrassment, learn 5 new dance steps in 2 months time, painlessly.”
• Comedian: “I’m a convention comedian who can raise spirits and bring smiles and laughter to the faces of employees just when you need it most.”

I decided to write my first blog post on something that is fundamental to every business, but very often the time isn’t taken to get it perfect.

I’m talking about your “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP).  Your USP is a precise statement (often fine tuned over the life of your business) of why your company is greater value to the client, more than any other retailer or service provider.

It should answer the following question…

“Why should I do business with you VERSUS any or all of your competitors?”

One of the very best & most successful USP’s of all time is that of Domino’s Pizza. “Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less. Guaranteed.”

Very simple, very effective.  Very important point, don’t over complicate your USP.  You can dominate your market by finding the “opportunity gap” and going for it! 

Think about why your clients come to you, whats missing in your industry, what your doing that most arent.  Don’t just have your USP in your head, put it in writing, keep it simple, and don’t waste a single word.

Still struggling writing your first USP?

• Price – Are you the cheapest?  Will you beat competitors prices?
• Operating Hours – Open 24/7? 7 days a week?
• Niche – Really niched in your products or the service you provide?
• Quality – Do you only offer the high end brands?

Remember, your USP is vitally important to your business and will become a great marketing tool with advertising and when promoting your business to other.