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PLANNING FOR SUCCESS – PART 4 – CLARITY/SO WHAT?

Guest post by: Danny Creed

Article Overview: Already we have discussed eleven key clarity questions that you must have answered in order to effectively and successfully plan for a better new year. But there's a bonus question that may be the most important question. Here we give you that question along with the ultimate acid test to use against all of your answers. Planning for a successful future is absolutely essential to survive, to thrive and to grow in todays business world. Here's how to get it done and get it done right!

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS – PART 4 – CLARITY/SO WHAT?

Another businessperson was heard to say that their year was so bad…. “Yesterday I received a pre-declined credit card in the mail!” In PART 2 and Part 3 of the PLANNING FOR SUCCESS series we shared with you eleven clarity questions. The answers to your clarity quest should produce the answers to the final and most important clarity question of all.

This key and ultimate clarity question is;

12.) What is your core and UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION?

In today’s world differentiation is the key and if you don’t know why someone should buy your product or service over any competition then you don’t deserve to be in business. I have a friend who is very smart and a marketing expert to boot says, “It’s not just a selling proposition. It’s not just something that’s compelling? It’s all about something that is UNIQUE, one of a kind, which your business should be!”

There are a number of questions that you can ask yourself, but a couple of the most important are;

A. Why would your ideal customer buy from you rather than from your competition?

B. Why would your ideal customer buy from your competition rather than from you?

Again take some time and don’t rush these. It is imperative that you know the answers to these questions. Again, do some research as soon as you can. Conduct surveys and do the unthinkable, actually talk to some of your customers. Once you have done this, then you must apply the ultimate test.

The ultimate acid test of any and all statements that you make about your business can be embodied in the following two questions. These are questions that can potentially make or break your business totally based on how honest you are with your answers. All statements must pass the test of these two questions. This means anything that is said about your business in press materials; marketing materials; sales pitches; elevator pitches and more. Simply train yourself to step back and look at any statement that you are making and apply these questions. These are questions that you must envision your prospects and customers asking themselves anytime they read or hear anything about your business or products. The questions are;

A. SO WHAT?

B. W.I.I.F.M. (What’s in it for me?)

Create visuals in your head of a customer or prospect with a big neon sign attached to them and anytime that you say anything to them about your business, the sign lights up and begins blinking ….SO WHAT?....WHATS IN IT FOR ME?....SO WHAT? ….WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?....

After you train yourself to visualize this and you begin to really become honest about your answers your materials take on a completely different perspective. Many times you will begin to see just why prospects and customers do not react to your advertising; your marketing materials or your sales presentation. YOU MUST be able to answer these two questions…. and if you can’t you pull the material and go back to the drawing board.

Clarity is the key to a business’ ability to survive, thrive and grow.

Remember, CLARITY in your business and your personal life will make them both easier and more profitable. If I can help you with this process, be sure to write me or call and we’ll get started as soon as we can.

Clarity is the key to a business’ ability to survive, thrive and grow. Good luck! and as always,

Be Great!

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Article Tags: acid test, annual planning, business clarity, business world, clarity, coaching, coaching for success, goal setting, goals, new year



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Re: Is facebook adverts effective? - We have done it for our online live tutoring services. But, I have decided not to use it again because we could know that there were around 250 clicks in a week ,but we could not see capitalise a single student. We targeted UK based 24-30 or something. We actually received a very few (I think around5 out of 250 clicks!) ... They too seem to be Indians and Pakistanis residing in the UK with a full time student visa, which prevents them from taking online lessons from us (then why they clicked our ads and even contacted us mean, I think, they do not going to lose anything!) ... So, I realised that our target market UK based PART TIME ACCA and CIMA students do not use FaceBook to browse ACCA and CIMA related sites although they use FaceBook. So, as our website is for ACCA and CIMA courses, probably it might have been shown in ACCA and CIMA FaceBook groups, where FULL TIME students were browsing it. So, I think it is we, selected the wrong medium .... Not to blame FaceBook I think .... So, it mainly depends on your target market, where they reside and actually from that area/country, truly would your target group see your adverts ? Much to consider ....
Re: Clarity Trumps Persuasion - Jeff, Thanks, great stuff !!! Clarity or "KEEP IT SIMPLE" is probably the best advice anyone can ever give or get when involved in any business or personal situation. Over 30 years of manufacturing ladies apparel has taught me two critical business lessons: 1-You will never get a 100% perfect outcome so In the BEGINNING,take your time, exhaust all your resources and energy and plan, plan, plan. . . If it STARTS off right it you'll get close to the desired outcome. 2-Keep it simple I now will add "Clarity" to my formula for success. CLARITY AND KEEPING IT SIMPLE BREEDS SUCCESS . . . . I know the advice above is simple but isn't that what it's all about. Thanks Ringo, This information not only was great for my website but it reminded me that "keeping it simple and clear" got me and my teams through some wicked situations Best wishes Barry


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