For those of you who are unfamiliar with Simon Sinek, he’s a leadership expert, best selling author, and TED Talk celebrity (nearly 21M views) who has quantified how people buy. His “Golden Circle” principle states that the most important buying trigger is the “why” as in why you buy an iPhone instead of an Android or why some companies become power brands while others fade into obscurity.
Most companies talk about what they do and what they sell. “We sell application software that… We sell accounting services that… And then they talk about what goes into their “cutting edge” technology or turnkey services. The problem is that your competition is saying exactly the same thing.
The key to differentiating yourself from your competition is to avoid sounding just like them. The first step is to identify your “why.” So how can you apply the Golden Circle principle to your business?
- Do Your Homework.
Find out what your competitors are saying about their products and/or services and establish why you are different. Remember to be authentic and genuine because consumers are weary of false claims. Understanding your “why” will also help you develop a strong and memorable tagline that supports a core piece of your business. - Focus on Outcomes Not Features.
You may be excited about a new streamline sales tool that your company just launched but your customers just want to know if it will help them make more sales. Remember that price is not a differentiator. Someone can beat you on price but they can’t duplicate your “why” if it’s yours alone. - Develop Customer Centric Content.
Go back to #1 and learn about your customers. Do you understand what motivates them to buy your product over your competition? Do you know what problem you are solving for them? Is your “why” clear and compelling? Does it align with your customers’ why? Using case studies that demonstrate how you solved a customer’s problem combined with a testimonial from that client will go a long way to establishing your “why.”
As Simon says: “People don’t buy what you sell. They buy why you sell it.” It’s a lesson worth learning.
To learn more about how to create meaningful messaging go to: http://zeewy.com/
© Copyright 2015 Orly Zeewy, Brand Architect—All rights reserved
