Differentiation: Show Your True Colors
Differentiation is key in marketing. And you want to sell to more customers, correct? And you want your website to do the most of the work for you, I’m sure? What state is your website in? Is it appealing? Does it say what you do for customers? Does it have a personality?
No, this is not 20 questions but these are questions you should be asking yourself all the time. There are many technology partners out there – focused on hosted solutions, Managed Services, Independent Software Vendors, Microsoft resellers, Sage business partners, Intacct solution providers, QuickBooks partners – and the list goes on … So how do I, if I were a prospect, make my choice from this long list of technology solution providers and the multitude of product and purchase options I have today?
Well, I’m probably going to start with an Internet search – I’m going to type in a set of words specific to my industry or my need and see what pops up. Ask yourself how you are going to appear on that list of results. Is your website optimized with good keywords (both relevant to your industry and to the geography you want to be found in)? Does it have the information on it that you want prospects to see – how you’re going to help them, what you do to help others, what options you provide (in terms of product, in terms of deployment choice)?
Assuming you have that in place, how are you going to persuade THAT prospect to buy from YOU and not from the outfit around the corner? What is going to make you stand out?
My typical client focuses on selling and implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions for mid-market organizations – P R E T T Y boring stuff I tell you – debits/credits/accounts payables/receivables, etc … but what they do with that software is truly magical. It transforms businesses, it helps those businesses grow and shine!
Every one of my clients has a GREAT personality and I love to work with them but I have a really tough time encouraging them to show their personality on their website – to show why I love to work with them, why I enjoy engaging with my clients week after week – what keeps me motivated, engaged and wanting to deliver on their behalf. THAT’s the part that needs to show up on their website, to encourage prospects to engage with them and know that they will be delighted by the experience, that these resellers have a lot of bring to the initial engagement, the actual engagement and beyond. Having dull pictures, a non-starter of an About Us page, no mention of the team that delivers the ‘WOW’, no excitement, just a lot of bleugh … that is the biggest turn off for a prospect.
Talk about what you can do FOR them, how you can make a difference to them, and most of all SHOW them through differentiation– with appealing pictures, with a great bio, by encouraging your entire team to contribute to the growth of your company, showing the depth of knowledge, letting your whole team shine – THAT is the piece that stands out.
So, if you need help letting yourself shine and using differentiation to stand out, call us today. We love to help. (And we have personality!)
By Cheryl Salazar, Senior Marketing Consultant at The Partner Marketing Group
