Marketing Success

Getting Your Marketing Message Across by Robert Middleton

One of the people in my current Marketing Action Group had been struggling with her marketing message. Nothing was really working. But finally she applied some of my ideas on creating a marketing message and told someone the story of a recent client success.

And the immediate response was: "Wow, I need your services. Will you work with me?"

And the great thing is that it wasn't a fluke. Now almost every time she uses the message, people want to work with her. Hey, her message was so great that I even decided to work with her!

How do you create a message with substance? Here's a 5-step process that will work for you.

1. Identify your ideal client

Your message will not work for everyone. You need to be clear exactly who your message is for. Who can you help the most? Who do you understand the best? Where do you have the most experience? Think all of this through and develop your message specifically for this ideal client.

2. Identify a client challenge

What does your ideal client want to do but doesn't know how? What's missing for them? What are they struggling with? What is confusing or frustrating for them? Clearly articulate this: "I work with these kind of clients who have this kind of challenge."

3. Identify a service and outcome

What specific service could you offer to address the client problem and provide a desirable outcome? Keep it simple: "I offer this kind of service and when clients use this service they will get this result." A service without a promised outcome is a waste of time.

4. Prove you can deliver the outcome

If you a haven't offered this service before, then find an ideal client and perform it for them. If you need to cut your price or even offer it free to validate the outcome, so be it. But you need to be confident you can produce that outcome consistently.

5. Use your story as your message

The most powerful marketing messages are simple stories that demonstrate that you delivered a desirable outcome. "This was a client who came to me. They had this frustrating challenge. I implemented my service. These were the results."

Here's an example of a life coach who followed these suggestions - here's her marketing message:

"I work with individuals who have been unsuccessful in finding their ideal partner and with couples who struggle to keep their marriage intact.

"I help them to understand themselves more fully as individuals and I introduce them to concepts, exercises and skills that will increase their chances for a meaningful and lasting partnership.

"I worked with a couple who was planning to get married but they argued incessantly. One of the partners had serious doubts about moving forward. I helped them identify the real underlying problems and taught them to see "the relationship" as a priority.
They learned many things such as how to create a mutually satisfying partnership through respect, responsibility, and good communication. Their fighting stopped and they were able to resolve their stuck areas. They ended up getting married and three years later they are happy and expecting their first child."

Copyright Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing. Please visit
Robert's web site at www.actionplan.com for additional
marketing articles and resources on marketing for professional
service businesses.