Have you ever stumbled upon a business’s website or social media profile and found yourself scratching your head, wondering, “What exactly do they do?”
If so, you’re not alone. It’s surprising how many businesses struggle to articulate what they are famous for and tell their market what problems they help them solve. Working with a number of clients in the Tech and IT space over the last year, we’ve noticed this trend – the struggle to define what makes them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Jack-of-All-Trades = Master of none
Especially in the rapidly evolving IT industry, it’s tempting for businesses to position themselves as jacks-of-all-trades, offering a myriad of services without a clear vision. While versatility is undoubtedly valuable, it often leaves potential clients confused and unsure of what sets a business apart from its competitors.
Imagine entering a tech conference where every booth claims to be a one-stop-shop for all your IT needs. It’s confusing, right? The same confusion happens in marketing, when businesses fail to define what they want to be famous for, prospects, clients, partners, and even your own internal team members may be left wondering what exactly you do as a business.
Newsflash! Your people are not what make you famous
When workshopping the famous line or the unique selling proposition (USP) with customers, we’ve lost count of the number of times we hear “our people are our point of difference”. Yes, your people are a massive contributor to the experience your customers have with your brand, how they perceive your brand and obviously how your product or service is delivered. But they are not what you are famous for. A very few brands around the world are famous for their people.
Every company thinks they have the best people, and guess what – every company is right and it’s because your people are not what makes your brand unique. Your job is to figure out what you are famous for, make this your brand and have those people embody that brand.
The power of getting this right
Your famous line and your USP is what sets you apart from your competitors and showcases your unique strengths to your target market/s. Defining your famous line or USP is not just a marketing exercise; it’s a strategic decision that creates and defines your brand identity with your customers, prospects and staff. Knowing what you’re famous for guides your marketing efforts, attracts the right clients, and helps you carve your niche in a competitive landscape. Think of it as your business’s elevator pitch – a brief and compelling statement that answers the question, “Why should clients choose us?”
Defining what you want to be famous for is not a one-time task; it’s an ongoing exercise for many organisations and one that will often take a few robust conversations to get right. It requires a deep understanding of your strengths (what skills do you have in the business), the needs of your target audience, and the competitive landscape – all of them which continue to change over time – now more rapidly than ever before.
So how do I do it?
Guiding your business through this journey, discovering your own superpowers and getting your key messaging right is not something you must do alone. In fact, sometimes it can be beneficial to have an objective third party to work with your executive team to help workshop and develop your famous line or USP. Having a marketing consultancy on your side to help you with this process and bring you a tangible outcome, could be the difference between you leaving the market wondering, “What the heck are they famous for?” Or not.