Marketing and sales messaging is not about filling up white space but about getting a hook in with a compelling answer to “why do business with us?” If you and competitors have essentially the same messages, then you have painted yourself into commodity corner.
Here is a real example of a recent client’s message:
“We consider ourselves to be in partnership with you. We are committed to flawless execution and delivery, and we take pride in helping our customers thrive in today’s challenging environment.”
Here is content taken directly from the home pages of two of their top competitors:
Competitor #1
“Our company works meticulously with our customers to assure that every step of the way our services are delivered correctly no matter how challenging.”
Competitor #2
“We take pride in good customer relationships. We work closely with our customers to provide the highest quality services in the industry.”
If you put the phrase “we work closely with our customers” into a Google search, Google will show you the number of times that exact phrase appears on web pages. In this instance the phrase is on over 3 million pages. That qualifies it as a “cliché” in our opinion.
It’s not enough that everyone says the same thing using almost the same language, but they load it with even more clichés – highest quality, most experienced employees, one-stop shop, we are committed – which winds up being totally forgettable. At Smart Advantage we call this marketing messaging
“Blah, Blah, Blah”
Sadly, so do your customers and prospects!
When we engage a new client company, we do a deep dive into their messaging and then see what their top competitors tout. Sadly, we see very little messaging differentiation, regardless of the industry or the markets targeted.
Try this:
Look at your own website and sales content. Is it rife with clichés? Then, look at the websites of your competitors. Do you all say the same thing? How well do you differentiate your company? What metrics do you offer that support “on time, good quality, responsive,” etc.? How do you know what you are touting reflects your customers top buying criteria?
Are you at risk of death by a thousand cliches?
December, 2023
