Most people think that finding new customers means cold-calling, networking... money at advertising and hoping it works. We have a...

YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Most people think that finding new customers means cold-calling, networking or throwing
money at advertising and hoping it works. We have a different approach.
GUARANTEED to Generate More Paying Customers with less time, effort & money.
How to Position Your Business As The
Only Solution in the Minds of Your
Potential Clients.
Created By
Richard Ingram
Yocal Lead Generation
[email protected]
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Most business owners make the mistake of believing that if they can just increase the
number of visitors to their website or marketing channel they will make more sales. The
problem is traffic (i.e. website visitors, magazine adverts, billboards) requires money, an
investment of some sort.
But there another side to the equation, and that is conversion. This forms part of your
strategic foundation without which, all other marketing tactics will fail.
Conversion optimization involves the ‘art’ of compelling more potential customers to
choose you as their preferred supplier of products and services. If you can learn to improve
conversion by just 5 or 10% you will see a massive increase in sales without having to invest
more money in advertising. It also has the added benefit of multiplying the effect of every
marketing method you use.
So how do we achieve this? By clearing defining and communicating your Unique Selling
Proposition (USP). A strong unique selling proposition lets you to stand apart from
competitors and actively focus your energy on creating things that cater to your ideal group
of customers.
Great, that sounds easy…well not really. It can be quite a daunting task to clearly define
your USP. Luckily we have developed some easy to follow strategies to help you achieve
just that.
As Seth Godin put it:
Instead of working so hard to prove the skeptics wrong, it makes a lot
more sense to delight the true believers. They deserve it, after all,
and they’re the ones that are going to spread the word for you.
In other words, having a unique selling point—even one that ostracizes some prospective
customers—is a competitive advantage that allows you to avoid the trap of trying to please
everyone.
Let’s look at how this advantage works and show you some stellar examples of great unique
selling propositions in action.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Why You Need a Unique Selling Proposition
It’s likely that many of your prospective customers have difficulty deciding which option in
your industry is the one that deserves their time, money and trust.
This selection can be a daunting process for customers that don’t have the experience to
know what separates one competitor from another.
That’s why it is your job to assist them by making your unique selling proposition obvious,
different and memorable enough that they can see exactly what your business has to offer
that the other guys do not.
As Theodore Levitt, author and professor at Harvard Business School, says:
“Differentiation is one of the most important strategic and tactical activities in which
companies must constantly engage.”
Levitt’s statement makes sense…
In order to be remembered in a crowded marketplace, it helps if your business has a trait
that is worth remembering.
While a superior product and outstanding service are the foundation for growing a
company that goes the distance, there is an opportunity to use differentiation as a
competitive advantage in order to “stand out like a sore thumb.”
Creating a Unique Selling Proposition that Works
When it comes to developing a unique point of difference for your business, it’s impossible
to give one-size-fits-all advice.
That said, there are certainly some best practices that work across marketplaces and that
any business owner can apply to make their unique selling proposition worthwhile.
Below are some of my favorite methods as well as examples of how certain companies put
them into practice.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Unabashedly Appeal to an Ideal Customer
Finding your ideal customer often takes quite a bit of legwork. When you’ve finally
identified the perfect person to sell to, it makes sense to appeal to them through every
aspect of your business.
But would you consider going to the extreme of ostracizing non-customers to spur on brand
loyalty? One famous retail chain has adopted this practice in an extreme fashion.
Abercrombie & Fitch’s CEO Mike Jeffries identifies their ideal customers as “cool, goodlooking people,” and has publicly said the brand refuses to market to anyone outside of
that subgroup.
While there’s no argument that Jeffries’ comments were insensitive, the wave of negative
responses that followed came mostly from older consumers and it didn’t appear to affect
the purchasing patterns of A&F’s younger customers. In fact, retail analyst Gabriella
Santaniello points out that this long-term exclusionary strategy has generally worked out
for A&F:
“Their brand image has been the same from the beginning and they’ve been quite successful
with it… And you can’t be everything to everyone—otherwise, you set yourself up to more
risk.”
Would I recommend that you be as callous, rude and insensitive as Jeffries? Absolutely not.
Your business can certainly find a far less reprehensible approach for identifying and
exclusively selling to your ideal customer. My point here is that this narrow focus is such an
effective strategy that even outrageous comments from a disillusioned CEO weren’t able to
drastically decrease its impact.
Unabashedly Appeal to an Ideal Customer
It may seem strange to assess an industry on the basis of personality, but hear me out.
Certain industries carry an undeserved reputation that distorts how outsiders view them,
often for the worse.
For example, the search engine optimization (SEO) industry struggles with a lingering
reputation for being nothing more than a group of spammers who pollute the web and ruin
the search experience for others in favor of profits. Rand Fishkin, founder of Moz, knows
that this perception is a disservice to the many technically skilled, hardworking and
honest search engine marketers who don’t partake in these practices.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Fishkin has always branded Moz as a business that offers software and community for
professional and aspiring SEOs. He’s put a great deal of effort into creating a welcoming
brand that is open, accepting and transparent.
The use of Roger, Moz’s lovable robot mascot, is a great example of how the business is
working to recreate a positive perception of the SEO industry. With Roger at the helm, the
Moz team has sought to become the welcoming entry point for those interested in the SEO
community that were skeptical of the “personality defect” characterizing it as a shady
industry to get involved in.
Avoid the “Superstar Effect” Rat Race
MIT graduate, author and Georgetown professor Cal Newport has written about the
“Superstar Effect” that pigeonholes many top applicants to prestigious colleges. Instead of
trying to stand out, most simply try to be the “best”; but when you’re competing with the
best, this often just puts you among the status quo, giving you no opportunity to stand out.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Entrepreneur and marketer Corbett Barr has discussed how this way of thinking seeps into
business. Companies often strive to be the best, but the first thing they should do is
merely be different.
Think about how you would see this goal if you were a restaurant owner. Given the
subjective tastes of an entire city of people, being the “Best Restaurant” in town would be a
far less fruitful endeavor (and require far more effort) than becoming the place you must go
for ______.
The idea is that the competition won’t be as much of a concern if you change the rules of
the game. You should first seek to do something better by doing it uniquely (vehicles for
hire via your smartphone—who would’ve thought?!) rather than trying to simply be the
best in a vague, crowded category.
Customer loyalty advice is available on the Internet in spades, but it’s almost always
anecdotal. What if instead the advice given was supported by consumer studies, academic
research and specific examples? In lieu of trying to be the best in a sea of other customer
service blogs, why not try to be different by offering up content that you won’t find
elsewhere?
Get Personal
Can a strong personality be incorporated into a company’s unique selling proposition?
Absolutely! But proceed with caution.
Stealing from hip-hop mogul Jay Z’s insistence that he’s “not a businessman, he’s a
business, man,” businesses (especially small businesses) should realize that a strong
personality can go a long way—as long as it aligns with what is being sold.
Consider the case study of George Zimmer, founder of Men’s Wearhouse. When the
company’s board recently fired Zimmer, many analysts were quick to point out that no
matter what the dispute was, removing Zimmer from the company was a bad move. Why?
He had become a recognizable personality and was beloved by many of the customers and
company employees. Mary Buffett wrote in a Huffington Post article:
“Firing George Zimmer from The Men’s Warehouse is like benching Warren Buffett over at
Berkshire Hathaway. As the pitch-perfect spokesman, losing Zimmer will remove the soul
from The Men’s Wearhouse brand. I guarantee it.”
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
How can a single employee (even a founder) cause so many publications to proclaim that a
brand will lose its soul when he is ousted? In the case of Zimmer, it’s because his deep,
gravelly voice and down-to-earth personality were so often identified with the everyman
that he positioned the business around.
Zimmer built a brand that sought to help Average Joes look great in a suit without feeling
uncomfortable and without breaking the bank. But the real secret to his marketing success
was his embodiment of the person he was selling to. In Zimmer’s 500 hours of recorded
footage for Men’s Warehouse commercials, he made a promise that men young and old
believed in: “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.”
This sort of personality, which so perfectly aligned with what was being sold, is something
that is difficult if not impossible to buy. Zimmer himself showcased everything Men’s
Warehouse purported to care about, making him an integral part of their unique selling
proposition.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
5 Exceptional Examples of Unique Content and Selling Propositions
Learning is often best done by example, so below I’ve highlighted a small selection of
brands that use their unique selling proposition to stand out (and succeed) in some tough
marketplaces.
1. Man Crates
In a stellar example of machismo made fun again, Man Crates is an online store that ships
“stuff guys like” in wooden crates that have to be opened with a crowbar.
While the items themselves make for great gifts (e.g., customized beer mugs, grilling
equipment and beef jerky), it’s the unique positioning that really sells this brand.
Man Crates is oozing with personality at every turn, and as a customer myself I had a hearty
laugh at the company’s help page, which boldly shows you this:
Few companies could get away with a help section that tells you to try harder, but when it’s
guys buying gifts for other guys, not following directions (and not asking for help!) is simply
a rite of passage.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
The bravado here is welcomed and doesn’t cross over into areas where it doesn’t belong;
when I contacted Man Crate’s customer service about a wrong delivery, the representative
was quick, helpful and friendly, showing that exceptional service takes priority over their
brand’s image.
2. Everlane Apparel
As previously mentioned, the way you build your product and the values you stand for can
be important parts of your unique selling proposition. Everlane apparel stands out from the
crowd in this respect.
The company culture wholeheartedly promotes what they call radical transparency; they
pride themselves on a diligent, upstanding process for the manufacture of their goods, with
the motto, “Know your factories. Know your costs. Always ask why.”
Since Everlane sells what they call “luxury basics,” product differentiation isn’t achieved
through flashiness, but through a sincere interest in how the company makes their goods,
conducts business, and gives special attention to their craft… down to the last v-neck.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
3. Ellusionist
Can a company really make a playing card deck interesting? Ellusionist can. Their whole
business is built on selling things that are different—a must, given that what they sell are
52-card decks! How do they make these interesting and profitable? By appealing to a highly
specific customer: magicians.
One of the cardinal sins of selling physical products online is offering something that
consumers can find at any ol’ store. Ellusionist countered this by offering flashy, unique
decks of cards that you really can’t find anywhere else.
And since they cater to those interested in showmanship via card tricks (and the occasional
extravagant poker player), they’ve cornered a niche market instead of just being another
producer of cheap decks of playing cards.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
4. Saddle Back Leather
Saddleback Leather’s company tagline is, “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead.” Combine
this with an “Our Story” webpage that includes a picture of a machine gun, and no one can
accuse Saddleback of being a company lacking personality.
One of my favorite pages on the site is the “Our Rivals” page, where the owner invites
customers to compare products with his biggest competitors:
“I’m so confident that you’ll find our classic look and over-engineered
durability so hard to resist that I want you to shop around. Go ahead
… the more you shop, the better we look.”
The positioning here isn’t done for fluff. The company sells expensive leather goods, and to
justify these premium prices it makes sense to boldly call out your competitors. The owner
wants you to see the difference in quality to showcase why that bag you covet costs $500.
Lastly, Saddleback isn’t all about testosterone-driven declarations; the owner also displays a
very personal side with a webpage dedicated to his dog Blue. This serves as a great example
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
of putting your personality into your business in a way that won’t lead to any Mike Jeffries
comparisons.
5. Think Geek
Hobby stores for geeks are another example of an industry with a lingering reputation for
personality defects; they are often characterized as weird and filled with snooty employees
who look down on beginners.
ThinkGeek, in comparison, is all about community, with unique features like customer
action shots and an emphasis on novel products that build on already existing communities.
(As a guy who still owns a Super Nintendo, their retro gaming section is much appreciated.)
Take a lesson from ThinkGeek’s playbook and closely examine the needs and wants of your
ideal customer, asking yourself, “What often stops people from buying?” When you have
your answer, you will find your unique selling proposition.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Remember That It’s Still about Selling
Just as relationship marketing is as much about the marketing as is it about the
relationships, the same applies for creating a unique selling proposition; it’s a form of
differentiation that needs to be built around selling more products and services, not just to
make your business into a quirky brand that stands out but can’t get traction.
In the book Reality in Advertising, advertising executive Rosser Reeves lays down three
rules that unique selling propositions should follow if they wish to be more than just
creative branding:
 Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer—not just words,
product puffery, or show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to
each reader: “Buy this product, for this specific benefit.”
 The proposition must be one the competition cannot or does not offer. It must be
unique—either in the brand or in a claim the rest of that particular advertising
area does not make.
 The proposition must be strong enough to move the masses, i.e., attract new
customers.
Make sure you are standing out for the right reasons, and that your brand’s positioning in
your marketplace is intended to move what you sell, not just to stand out.
How We Approach the “Conversion Optimization” Issue
Marketing consultants sometimes have a reputation for providing a bunch of
recommendations, then bailing out before the strategies are implemented or any dollar
returns have been realised.
Then there’s the typical web design company, which may be skilled at putting images and
code on the web, but are very often unable to turn your website into a lead generation
machine that generates profit for your business.
Yocal is different because we are experts at creating and implementing lead generation and
conversion strategies that are effective, accountable and profitable. Our USP is based
around delivering profitable results.
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YOCAL LEAD GENERATION - How Many New Clients Would You Like?
Here’s the full version:
Yocal USP
Most people think that finding new customers means cold-calling, networking or throwing
money at advertising and hoping it works. We have a different approach.
GUARANTEED to Generate More Paying Customers with less time, effort & money.
Final Thoughts on USP’s
A good USP is mission critical to your ability to draw potential clients deeper into your sales
funnel and construct a compelling case to convert shy prospects into lifelong clients.
You’re probably already offering your clients many unique benefits, but until you
communicate these benefits in the form of a compelling USP, you won’t enjoy the results
you could and should be getting.
Look forward to helping you grow your business
Richard Ingram
Lead Generation and Conversion Specialist
www.yocal.co.za
Do you know a friend or associate who would benefit from 7 Steps to More Paying
Customers? Please feel free to forward this report to them.
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more helpful training at http://www.yocal.co.za/more-paying-customers/
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