Marketing: It’s More about You than Your Customers
“We need more sales.”
At some point during the life of your business you’ve probably uttered these words. For most business owners these words have become a part of their regular vocabulary. Without sales, there’s no business. The employees need to get paid, the lights need to stay on and most companies are looking for some level of growth. I get it.
I would even say that more times than not the statement is accurate and even a necessity. But with that being said, it’s the follow-up statement that really consumes us.
“How do we get more sales?”
This is where fear rears its head for the first time. It’s the million-dollar question with more than a million answers. The internet and bookshelves are full of silver bullets and quick fixes. They each guarantee the growth increase you are looking for and promise to deliver them in only 30 days or just 10 steps. And like any fad diet, while there are probably a few good takeaways here and there, the ideas are simply a flash in the pan and not actually sustainable. So then what is sustainable? You are!
When business owners want to speak with us about their need for revenue growth, we typically find ourselves in a conversation about marketing. Marketing is literally defined as, the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. Seems applicable to this conversation, right? Marketing is one of the many ways to increase sales in a business—but at EMyth, if we are going to get serious about marketing, then first, we need to talk about branding.
“Branding?”
I realize our sales conversation has quickly taken two steps backwards, but this is where we can address the root problem. It’s the willingness to take two steps back that separates the flash in pan and a culture of growth for years to come.
This is where we get back to the YOU part. And when we say YOU, we mean the business. In order to tell your customers what you have to offer or the experience they can expect during your interactions, you have to be able to define it. We call that definition your Brand Commitment.
A Brand Commitment does not simply list your services—rather it’s a promise to your customers. It’s what specifically separates you from your competition and drives all decision-making at all levels.
The Brand Commitment provides the WHY to the way you do it. It keeps you customer-focused, creates customer loyalty, and again, it’s your competitive edge. More than anything, it differentiates you while integrating culture and customers.
This is where sales are not only found, but instead lifetime customers are created. This is where an attempt to increase revenues ultimately alters the entire business. People want to buy from companies they trust and enjoy, not feel like they have been sold something.
“So where do I start?”
For now, let’s start with these two questions:
- What do you want your customers to say about your business?
- How do you want your customers to feel in every interaction with your business?
Although the questions are fairly simple, don’t try to answer them in one sitting. Sit with them for the next week and pay close attention to the interactions you are having with your customers and what they would feel like in an ideal world. We want your sales to consume you this week, but in a completely new way.
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