Trending
When you’re selling your expertise, rocking your point of view — in words, compelling images and with feeling— matters.
It gives your potential clients and buyers a prism—a gateway—to differentiate you from the dozens, hundreds or tens of thousands (thank you Google) of other choices they could make. To connect with you. To believe in you.
And so you must answer their pivotal question: why should I listen to you?
But not in chest-beating “I am so wonderful” advertising-speak. You want to show them how you see the world in which you work your magic.
A sharply-worded manifesto can capture your point of view and serve as a clarion call to your perfect-fit audience.
Not quite ready for an in-your-face manifesto? You can still rock your point of view and use it as a come-hither for your sweet spot clients and buyers.
Start by jotting down what you believe to be true about your work. Here are a few questions to get your juices flowing:
Who do I really want to work with? Hint: this is an area where you can not only narrow your niche, but you can use language to draw in the client who rings your chimes. Do you need a client who appreciates a steady hand at the wheel or do you serve those who want outrageously creative solutions? You’d use very different voices to attract those two buyers.
What are some of the core tenets of my work? Let’s say you’re an HR consultant—what do you believe about the role of talent in organizations? Or the role of the leaders with whom you consult? How should people in organizations be treated? Get clear on your belief set that underlies every assignment.
What outcomes am I striving for? It’s OK to think lofty—how will you get there if it’s not on your radar? If you’re a financial advisor, your goal may be to help clients live the life they’ve always imagined. Look at the work you’ve done—your best success stories—and look for the commonalities in the end result.
How have I structured my work to deliver those outcomes? Let’s be clear—this isn’t about smoke and mirrors, but real, tangible aspects of how your service delivery is designed to mesh with your promise. Drill down to exactly the aspects that form your/your firm’s DNA. A financial advisor who wants to help clients reach their dreams should not be opening a conversation asking about their investment mix.
Once you’ve filled a few pages with your thoughts on this—preferably in two or three sittings—you’ll have the core of your point of view. You can hone it and polish it to use on your website and sprinkle in your social media and marketing collateral.
Or, you can simply use it to inform your marketing. As the underpinning of the success stories you cite, the language you use and the real-world and digital pipelines you build.
In either case, it’s a great exercise in clarity. What do you believe?