If you want more customers you first have to convince your prospects to choose you, instead of who they chose before.
I have a question for you:
Why would I choose you to handle my printing needs, rather than your competitor?
Like a building on its foundation, your business is built on your answer to that question.
Marketing job number one is to know what sets your business apart from your competition, so you can give your prospects and customers good reasons to choose to do business with you, rather than any of the other choices available to them.
Those reasons become the foundation of all your marketing – so they have to be solid.
Let me tell you about John’s shop, in my area …
As you know, there is no shortage of places to get an information packet printed.
I could get that done online, or through any one of five office-type chain stores around here, or at about 6 independent print shops – much like yours- I can think of offhand.
But in my town, there’s only one place to get a custom project like that printed, beautifully, reliably, where a friendly, patient person leads me through the job details, where I can watch the job being done, enjoy a cappuccino while I wait for a press check, am greeted by Annie the office dog, have the job delivered free with a smile and a joke, all assembled and ready to use, and then enjoy being educated and entertained by that printer until next time I order.
I don’t worry that something might go wrong and I won’t know until the job is delivered. It doesn’t cross my mind that the color might be off, or the job folded or assembled incorrectly. I know what to expect all the way through, I know the owner and staff are looking out for me, and really care about the results I get.
If that was your business, you would have a lot to say about what makes you different from every other source, and for customers like me you would be the obvious best choice when they have a need you can fill.
Just by keeping in touch with education and entertainment, my favorite shop reminds me of all the things I enjoy about working with them, what I get out of it, and why it makes sense to me, so every time I need something printed I think of them first. If they can print what I need, chances are that’s where I’ll go.
Next Steps:
Read more on the blog: How to Differentiate Your Business in Your Market: Unique Selling Propositions.
