Help Them Understand You

There’s a clever slogan on my home page, but honestly how many of you can say you’ve contemplated the weight of this statement? You’ve got a solution that could change your customers’ lives and businesses… if only they would just GET it. Over time you realize that the prospect’s excitement in what you offer just doesn’t compare to your own. Why not? They simply don’t understand.

So, as my oh-so-clever website states: “They may see you. They may hear you. Help them understand you.” And therein lays the secret. Help them. Marketing, just like sales, is a matter of helping prospects to GET it so that they can better themselves with what you have to offer.

Try, whenever possible, to define your concept in an all-encompassing term. This can be taken to a ridiculous extreme, but in general, it’s very helpful. Autodesk’s recent campaign on “digital prototyping” is a great example of using succinct terminology to describe your technology’s ability. Other companies have succeeded with similar concepts, such as 3D Systems’ V-Flash™ “Desktop Modeler.”

Another great method for helping clients to understand you is to publish more case studies than promotional material. A feature/benefit document is not bad, but people learn through stories. This is also a reality check for most companies. If they can’t find one good example of their product doing what they say it does, there’s a shortfall somewhere that needs addressed.

I’m always interested in hearing other ways that you have tried and succeeded with helping people understand you. Feel free to post replies.