competitive advantage | Words For Hire

Rock it Out in the Key of You!

April 13, 2010 by Karen Swim

: Image by EpicFireworks via Flickr

Songs are often remade by multiple artists, from Ave Maria to Tainted Love, with each artist singing it in their key, their way. The song lyrics are the same but each artist takes the familiar and personalizes it with their style.

On a teleconference last week, Tory Johnson shared that though there are hundreds of nail salons using the same tools, same creams and same procedures she is head over heels for her manicurist. How many of us feel that way about our service providers? I would rather have a bad hair day than allow anyone else to touch my hair.

There are thousands of manicurists, hair salons, restaurants, coffee shops and more. You do not have to be the sole provider of a service, simply the only one your target market prefers. As Tory noted, “You can certainly exist among a sea of competitors, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel of your expertise.”

Like an artist singing a song that has already been written, we simply need to sing it our way. You don’t have to invent a new way to be a marketer, photographer, writer or widget maker just put your personal touch on it. Sing the song your way, to the people who will appreciate your tune.

So often we complicate the process of finding our unique value proposition in business. We may feel that we have to invent something new or change the game in order to be successful. In reality it can be as easy as signing the same old song your way. Bring your world experience, perspective and personal style and let it rock. Change up the lyrics, add a bass line or sing it off key. Go for it with gusto because it’s your stage and your song.

Do you have a preferred service provider in a crowded sea of competitors? What makes them stand out for you?

The Fear of Competition

July 29, 2009 by Karen Swim

Most businesses spend a fair amount of time assessing their competition. Annual marketing plans include in depth analyses of competitive strengths and weaknesses, and detailed tactics to leverage opportunity and minimze risk against competitors. Even solo and small practices devote resources to competitive intelligence. Yet, in two decades of business experience, I have never heard a single consumer proclaim:

Help! Every company is excellent, operating at the highest standards, possessing all the knowledge that is possible in this area, doing the right thing and perfectly suited to all of my needs and desires.

So, why I wonder do we spend so much time on the competition and so little on the people who need our services?

I’m not suggesting that competititve intelligence does not have its place. We can learn from our competitors, adopt best practices and gain insight that helps us to improve our business. However, we should not seek to be our competition, or even covet their customers. If we focus on uncovering and leveraging our own distinctions to delight our ideal market, we will create our own niche.

Competition does not destroy your business. Yes, there are many historical examples that would seem to validate that I am wrong. However, I must ask, was it really the competition or were there other factors at play, such as failing to correctly identify and position a clear market value, inaccurate targeting, lack of innovation?

If you are contemplating a new venture or direction and worried that there’s too much competition, I would advise you’re focused on the wrong thing. Competition is awesome! There’s awareness and a stated need from the market, hooray! Some of your “competitors” have leaped in to take advantage of market opportunity, others are highly skilled but will fail miserably at staking their claim, a small percentage will be highly successful and expert in the space. But none of them are you. This is your secret weapon, what Sonia and Brian call The X Factor.

A solid, well thought out plan + The X Factor = World Domination (okay not really but your own little piece of it)

Take your eyes off the competition and put them on you and your customers, it is a decision you will not regret.

Are there any businesses that you support because of their “X” factor? Or are you a business that markets their X factor. I’d love to hear your experiences.

If you are a freelancer copywriter and need help discovering your “X” Factor click here to view more details on the Freelance X Factor Course (This is an affiliate link, if you prefer to purchase from a non-affiliate link, hop over to Copyblogger.com and you can still buy the course, no hard feelings!)

If you are a business leader struggling to find your distinction, send me an email at karenswim at gmail dot com.

The Deal is in the Details

August 6, 2008 by Karen Swim

Paying people to hold signs is one of the olde...

Image via Wikipedia

Written by Karen D. Swim

As children our parents taught us to do the little things like saying please, thank you or covering our mouth when coughing. In the big scheme of things these expressions of etiquette were not going to save the world but they sure would make it a nicer place to live.

As adults we are sometimes so focused on the complex, or the bigger picture that we fail to take note of the small details. We build a whiz bang website but forget to have a call to action. We deliver a stand out proposal but forget to ask for the business. So often it is the small detail that will set us apart from the crowd. Allow me to share a few recent examples.

For two weeks, I received resumes from prospective candidates. The problem? I am not hiring any new employees! However, since I am a Career Marketing Professional, I read each submission. I was horrified by most of these attempts at securing a job. Although, I counsel my own clients on the big and small details, I still assumed that the majority of job seekers got the easy stuff right. Wrong!

Only one applicant indicated the position sought and addressed me by name.
Many applicants simply copied and pasted a resume into the body of the email. Of course, with email formatting, it came across as a sloppy, unprofessional mess.
Not one single person indicated why they were applying.

I responded to every applicant thanking them and even offered leads to a few of the better candidates. I even called one applicant (Tip: When in job seekng mode, always be prepared to speak to a potential employer).

Two people told me they were responding to “my ad.” Neither could tell me where they had seen the ad! I found out later via Google Alerts that someone had placed an ad on Craig’s List. The real employer did not include the URL of his/her company and used the Craig’s List email. Applicants attempted to learn more by searching “Words For Hire” and making direct contact.

Any one of these applicants would have stood out by doing the basics well such as:

Indicating the reason for applying and where they saw the ad. (The employer may have placed multiple ads!)
Using the supplied email address (this may have been done for tracking purposes).
Taking time to do a text friendly resume (takes two minutes, I do this for clients all the time).

Another recent example comes courtesy of marketing emails. These days when you connect with people on LinkedIn or social forums, you are automatically added to their mailing list. (I will discuss this subject in detail in upcoming posts on social media.) I receive lots of ezines, marketing messages and invites in my email box.

With many of the messages, I am not sure how I got on a list or how to get off. These emails often come from an admin address to which you cannot reply. So, when I got an email that took note of these two basic things I noticed! Right at the top it said:

“Dear Friends, Just to jog your memory, we were connected through Linkedin and have become part of one another’s network. I know you will find great value in the article below, and I appreciate your forwarding it to those that you think it might help as well.

Feel free to unsubscribe from my monthly newsletter (and unoccasional notices) by hitting the button below. (But I would definitely miss you!) Stick around for a couple of months and give it a try; I always make the message inspiring and valuable!”

I don’t mind sharing that the note was sent by Laura Fenamore. Not only did she tell me why I was receiving it, but gave me a nice way to opt out (without opting out of being linked to her) with a great soft sell marketing message to boot!

These days, “average” has become “below average.” It is not that hard to rise above the crowd of mediocrity. While fancy graphics and technological wizardry are wonderful, your efforts are diluted if you don’t do the basics well. Yes, I know the basics are not the hot new trend of the day. They are, however, the proven workhorse that the cool kids often overlook. If you want to rise above in today’s competitive marketplace, pay attention to the little things.

How do you make sure you don’t overlook the basics? Are these little things important to you and your customers? Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or beverage of your choice and let’s chat!