I need to preface this article by saying we love and respect ALL of our clients and our readers and I am only writing this essay to be used as a learning experience.
I am currently working on a manual for our Marketing F.A.C.T.S program (more about that soon) and was discussing with Roberto about the critical need to be awesome at creating differentiation strategies to make your business be the preeminent leader in your chosen industry.
He didn’t even let me finish my thoughts when he looked up at me and jokingly said, “like this?”, and he showed me 3 EXACTLY THE SAME NEWSLETTERS FROM 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE (THAT WERE SENT ON THE SAME DAY).
Listen up: if you agree with me that the sole purpose of your marketing message is to convince your prospects and clients that you are the only and best choice to help them get what they want, what does this type of thing do for that outcome? This is one of the worst things you can do!
It makes you look like a commodity – the same as everyone else.
And when you are perceived as a commodity, you are left to compete on price!
And here’s the reality: There is ALWAYS someone willing to go out of business faster than you!
If you are using a newsletter as a staple for your marketing (which I highly encourage), your content MUST be U.R.I. (Unique, Relevant, Influential).
Unique: Unique doesn’t mean it has to be an original idea, but it should be told with your insight, your voice.
Relevant:The information should be useful and address issues/wants/problems that your prospect has NOW.
Influential:Your content should include both, logic and emotion.
At this point, you may be thinking… “Jeff, I’m a terrible writer or I don’t have time or I don’t know what to say…”
… and here’s my answer: Find a way.
Because, if you don’t take the initiative to create your content yourself you are:
- missing out on a great opportunity to demonstrate to your clients that you are an expert.
- you aren’t developing that muscle to create content and structured thoughts.
- you run the risk of your content NOT being aligned with your message.
- and worst, YOU LOOK JUST LIKE YOUR COMPETITION.
Here are a couple ideas to produce unique content for your newsletter (or other uses)
- Write down the questions you received from your clients this week and answer one of them in detail.
- speak into recording device and have it transcribed at www.castingwords.com
- outline your thoughts on slides and record a screencast.
It’s not as hard or time consuming as you think to create useful content for your database because you are the the expert right? And the payoffs are astronomical, so make a commitment today to produce URI content.
Loving, Living, Giving Large,
Jeff
Great article!
Thanks for the feedback Regina!!!
Hello Jeff and Roberto,
Very thought provoking message today, thanks so much.
Here is a thought regarding the development of content and how to make it Unique, Relevant and Influential.
As in a live presentation, when sitting down to write some content, the secret lays in the writers focus.
First, the writer must focus on the experience they want the reader to have when reading the subject matter.
The writers should ask the following Three questions and be certain their piece of content addresses them:
1) What do I want my reader to Think?;
2) What do I want my reader to Feel?;
3) What do I want my reader to Do?
This can serve as a framework or template in to which they should drive their own depth, meaning and purpose.
Once a novice writer begins a habit of writing, this template will provide consistency, out of which their natural voice will emerge over time.
…The key is to begin writing and then keep writing!
We in this industry have so much knowledge and experience and it is this personal knowledge, experience and insight that will be their unique differentiators! They are by experience Unique.
Just a penny and a thought,
Paul Donohue
P.S. I learned this from Roberto and then have been applying it in my own writing.
Hey Paul that is some FANTASTIC input. I should have mentioned that in the essay. It’s so true what you said about having a framework so that you will develop a HABIT and be CONSISTENT! Thanks for sharing your insight and knowledge!
PS- for those that would like to have more insight about the 3 questions you must ask before any presentation (or writing an article) Here is the link: http://youtu.be/EF0_WpiFnLg