We’re all looking to sell marketing funnels to our customers. And the competition is only going to get tougher.
I’ve spoken about USP’s before and how they’re overrated (and don’t really exist). But you still need to add something to the market.
“If you don’t do something different or better in that market, you have no place being there”
-Sean Mize
Half the battle to making a sale is getting the customer to understand that they need a funnel to solve their problem. The other half is convincing them that they should buy from you.
You need to be able to answer the question “why should I buy from you?”. What makes you different? Why shouldn’t I look elsewhere? Why are you the best option?
This isn’t a case of “why should I buy a funnel” or “why should I invest in email automation and traffic”. It’s asking why specifically should someone chose to work with you and not someone else?
It’s a hard question to answer because we often fall into two camps. Either we believe that something we offer is already unique (which most of the time it isn’t). Or we believe that being different or better is something for other business. Bigger businesses with staff and teams and mini-refrigerators under their desks.
USP’s that aren’t unique
Remember, this isn’t necessarily about being unique. If you TRUELY have a USP then you shouldn’t need to read this.
A TRUE USP is something that either makes it harder for your competition to enter the market. Or is impossible for them to replicate an aspect of your business.
The reality is that most people use USP incorrectly. If we’re selling marketing funnels, and we’re finding customers for our funnel business, you have to make sure that someone else can’t say the EXACT same thing as you, if they had enough money or time.
Instead, focus on what you can make better or different in your marketplace. Rather than focus on trying to think of something “unique” for your business.
What sucks in your market?
Calling for a taxi means calling a number that might not pick up. Then you wait around for it to arrive and hop in. The driver decides the route and you’ve got no idea if they’re taking advantage of you.
Or you could call an Uber.
The above story or “average day” is what sucked in the commuting market. Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp changed the average day for millions of commuters, tourists and travellers by asking “wouldn’t it be better if…?”
That’s all they had to do, and they very quickly changed the world’s perception on what it means to travel. They focused on making it easier, safer and more reliable.
What sucks in your market? What doesn’t work in your industry and what can you make better?
At MeBox, our funnel agency, we asked: “wouldn’t it be better if membership businesses found and kept more members?” That’s it. That’s all we wanted to focus on.
Take a look at your customers and think about their average day. What sucks and what can you do about it?
Where are your competition NOT going?
This is the most under-used but overstated tactics in history.
For years I’ve constantly been told “go where your competition aren’t” and I always thought this meant a magical Kingdom full of customers that my competition wasn’t aware of.
Like an oasis of customers.
But in truth, what it means is, what are you willing to do, in order to reach customers, that no one else is?
This could be as simple as deciding on a niche or industry to serve. Or creating a process that no one else has.
You’ve got so many options, from blogging to videos. Training, podcasts, free software, interviews, niche markets, speaking and more.
There are people competing for the attention of your customers. Take a look at what they’re doing and try to see what they’re not doing.
I promise there is enormous potential in being the person who’s willing to wake up one hour earlier every day to create free training.
I guarantee that if the choice comes down to you, or someone else and you both do exactly the same thing. Except you have a free audio course that customers can use, they’ll pick you.
“Why would I pick you over Company B?” I’ve been asked.
“Well I think what Company B does is pretty good. But we’re the only agency that ONLY builds membership funnels for membership business. We don’t focus on any other industry. We’re also the only funnel business with a free mini-course on finding more members. I’d be happy to share that with you?”
Ultimately, it boils down to a customer connecting with you as a person. Often, that’s as unique as you need to be.
The majority of the training in Sell Your Service could probably be replicated by other people. But can they capture my voice, energy and handsomeness? I doubt it.
What category can you create?
Finally, the way to becoming #1 at something is to create the category you’re in.
Similar to Guinness World Records, people who create new world records are the only people who attempt them. Stacking sugar cubes, running backwards with a milk bottle on your head.
Now admittedly, and I quote “individual records were set by crackpots who half killed themselves.”
Fox Yeah! They’re called Congress!
The truth is that you can create a category within your industry and own it. The fastest way to become number 1 at something is to make that “thing” up.
Marketing signals, community transport, subscription funnels. They’re all out there and no one can touch them because they invented the category.
Where can you position yourself, or what can you call yourself where no one else can touch you?
Why should someone buy a marketing funnel from you?
So, we’ve looked at why USP’s aren’t all that. Looking at what sucks in your marketplace and going where your competition aren’t.
Category creation is our favourite tactic, it’s so important to position your business as the ONLY thing that will truly help your customers.
To get ahead of the competition, you’ve got to be willing to do what they’re not. Commit to a market, become #1, do what they won’t and be helpful.
What category are you in? Anything here spark your interest? What are you going to try? Let me know in the comments below.
