18. May 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

You know how you’ve heard about the job interview all being decided in the first 10 seconds? Well, the same can be said for a sales call (in person or over the phone). You (small business owner, salesperson) only really have about 10 seconds or so to interest the prospect, or you can kiss their attention goodbye. This is true even in a live, face-to-face meeting. Even though the prospect may be looking you in the eye and nodding his/her head, the individual is likely not really paying close attention, if your initial “elevator pitch” does not resonate.

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12. May 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

Check out this awesome review of my new Brand Positioning Jumpstart Toolkit!  http://danlhoff.blogspot.com/2012/05/brand-positioning-made-easy.html

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12. May 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

Check out my latest article on SmallBusinessBranding.com

http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/4504/8-ways-to-differentiate-your-small-business/

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18. April 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

Come check out the new Brand Positioning Forum where you can ask questions, share your expertise, promote your services, etc.

http://brand-positioning.org/forum/

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6. April 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

http://brand-positioning.org/free-ebook/

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9. March 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

As a start-up sole-proprieter/entrepreneur you have a fundamental choice to make right out of the gate.  Do you brand your name or a business name?  For example: if you are going to sell consulting services, do you position yourself as “Joe Johnson Consulting” or “Premier Consulting LLC”?  The question is a polarizing one, but as an entrepreneur myself I can tell you that branding my business (Winning Message) rather than myself has helped me win countless new clients.  In the B2B world especially, businesses do not want to hire one-trick ponies but rather established-sounding businesses.  Branding your business enables you to project your organization as such - even if it is just you.

The real issue with branding yourself (as opposed to your business) is ‘what happens when your business expands, and it is no longer just you’?  Would a 10-person $2.5M company want to be known as “Joe Johson Consulting?”  I think the anwer is clear, and I will leave you with this simple thought - if you intend to grow your business and project the organization as larger than just you, go with the business name branding approach.  It’s a much safer and more scalable route - and one I strongly recommend.

On a side note, be sure and check out my new site - brand-positioning.org

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10. February 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

I am a huge believer in the power of PowerPoint!  In my opinion it is one of the most effective sales/marketing mediums there is in terms of succinctly and clearly communicating your value to clients and prospects.  Because of the way the application is geared, you are encouraged to write with brevity and with top-line headings and supporting bullets.  I just love it! 

Here is a good rule of thumb for the core slides you’ll need when developing a concise and hard-hitting corporate or specific-opportunity sales deck.  You’ll note I only list a handful.  This is because the days of 30 slide PPTs are over.  You only need a small amount to effectively convey your messages.  Here they are:

Slide 1: Cover Slide

Slide 2: Who you Are (very top-line; focus on key differentiators, solutions and business value)

Slide 3: Customer Challenges (you must demonstrate a high level of understanding of their core challenges)

Slide 4: Your Solution(s) - talk about them in terms of the problems they address and the value they provide; focus on key differentiation as well and include product pictures if applicable; this “Your Solutions” section might span multiple slides if you have many products/services.

Slide 5: Your Differentiation (Yes you have already espoused your differentiation in who you are and your solutions but here is another place to scream it from the rooftops, all in one place; without such a slide, the prospect might have missed your key differentiation and what it is that will convince them to select your business over the next guy outside the door)

Slide 6: Sample pricing (This slide may be controversial because many B2B firms like to offer customized pricing for each opportunity.  The problem with this is that many times you and the prospect are way off in terms of price.  You were about to quote $120,000 and the prospect was expecting $8,000.  Why not get the confusion out of the way and at least offer sample pricing ranges to ensure you have a viable match?

Slide 7: Customers and testimonials (include logos when possible and actual quotations from past users - with quantifiable return on investment)

Slide 8: Next Steps (This is a very important slide never to forget.  It prompts the discussion to address the point of where you go from here.  This is very important in Sales.)

That is it!  Powerful, succinct, value-based sales/marketing communications.

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19. January 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

Check out my new article on SmallBusinessBranding!

http://www.smallbusinessbranding.com/4058/me-too-positioning-gets-you-nowhere-in-b2b-marketing/

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3. January 2012 by Kevin B. Levi.

Come check out the new Do-it-Yourself Brand Positioning Toolkit that helps marketing professionals and business owners craft their own elevator pitch, key messages, value propositions and more, all by themselves!

http://brand-positioning.org

http://brand-positioning.org

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7. October 2011 by Kevin B. Levi.

Clarity in brand positioning is an imperative.  Without succinct, laser-focused writing and communication (that is value focused), how can a business expect to influence its customers and prospects to take action?  Simply put, it can’t.

My background in Public Relations has taught me one of the single most important lessons in all of business communication and brand positioning.  It is the fact that brevity and clarity are paramount.  Like that 10-second elevator pitch (aka positioning statement) you’ve heard about, you really only have mere seconds to get your sales/marketing pitch across to a prospect.  Make it count!

Here are some tips on writing clear, concise prose that prompt people to take action!

1. Write your first draft of that brochure, sales presentation, advertisement, press release, article, website copy, etc. and then go back and take out every word that can be omitted without changing the meaning of the statement.

2. Speak in terms that your prospects can relate to.  No one cares that your widget is blue and shiny, but they do care that it saves them time and money!

3. KISS – keep it simple stupid.  This elementary statement says it all.  Keep your communication and brand messaging easy to understand.  If the average 12 year old can understand it, then it is perfect!

Like everything in business today, please consult a professional if you are having trouble.

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