Know your value, grow your business

What are the three most valuable things you do for your clients?

I ask this question a lot. Because the answer can be a powerful part of your brand story and provide you with marketing messages that really engage the people who you want to buy from you. You should talk about these three most valuable things, consistently. Repeatedly. It is what you should be known for.

So. What are the three most valuable things you do for your clients?

This might help you get to the answer…

Get in your customers’ shoes.

The crucial thing here is that they are not the three most valuable things YOU think you do for your customers, they should be the three things that your CUSTOMERS see as most valuable. It’s surprising how often there is a disconnect between our perception of valuable, and our customers’. Use these five prompts to uncover a short list of your value:

1.      Stand in your customers’ shoes and look at what you do. Imagine you are Steve from XY Accounting, or Flo from AB Online. Step into Steve’s shiny brogues or Flo’s pink Converse and imagine they are looking at your business and what you have done for them. Where, in the whole experience, are they really getting volumes of value?

2.      Even better, go and ask some nice customers where the real value is. I’m sure Flo would be delighted to help. Ask lots of your customers, and find the consistent value threads that weave through all their answers.

3.      Look at your customer reviews and testimonials. What is the value that they talk about? Where is the real impact you make? Capture this in their words, not yours.

4.      Walk through your customer journey, and imagine you are a customer. Where are they experiencing the best of what you give? Where is the delight along the way? Perhaps your real value lies there?

5.      What do you do for your customers that they can’t find elsewhere? This will be a truly valuable part of your business.

Define your 3 most valuable things

Now you have your shortlist, define the three that make the impact. Often they are connected to the ultimate outcome that you make for your clients, but not always.  Check your three against the type of customers that you really want in your business – will they excite, inspire or engage them to use your business?

And know the one that makes the real difference.

Now the tricky part. Which of those three value statements actually is the one that makes the real difference to your customers? If you could only share one of the value statements with your audience, which would make the most impact and engagement? Think of this one as the hero of your brand story, the one that is preceded by a small fanfare or an unrolling red carpet.

Once you know the three most valuable things that you offer, use the three value statements consistently in your marketing. Shout about them. Put them front and centre of your brand story. Make three badges with them on, sew a large banner, make them into a jingle – whatever floats your messaging boat. These are the statements that will catch the eyes and ears of your ideal audience, and if you get them right, they will work hard for your business every day. Just don’t forget to give Flo her Converse back.

This is part of the Intention Framework tool that was hung in the Tool Shed this month. If you want a tool to help you set your intention for your 2023 planning, hop on over to the Tool Shed and download it for free.