“Brains Over Bucks.”

Creating Your Defining Statement

By Jeff Slutsky and Marc Slutsky

The easiest way to position yourself by concept is to create a great defining statement, says Mark LeBlanc, President of Small Business Success in LaJolla CA and author of Growing Your Business! The defining statement is a simple answer to a simple question. “What do you do?” When you can answer that question in a succinct and concise way that attracts more prospects, you know you have a great defining statement.

When Jeff and I created our defining statement, which is, “We teach businesses how to advertise, promote and market without spending money.” or “Out think your competition, don’t out spend them.” we knew it created an effective one. Anytime we give our defining statement we get the response, “Really, how do you do that?” When a prospect asks us that question, they pretty much want us to give them our sales pitch, to learn more about whom we are and what we do. To help you develop you own defining statement, follow LeBlanc’s seven rules to help create yours.

The Rules:

1. Language - Use eighth grade language. Don’t assume your market is smart. Too often we use complicated language and phrases that we don’t even understand. Keep it simple.
2. Conversational - Remember it answers the question, “What do you do?” It is not an advertising theme, slogan, or tagline.
3. Attraction - It must attract people to you. It won’t attract everyone, so don’t get hung up on trying to create one that you think will.
4. Dream-focused - Focus on the dream of your prospects and the people you serve best. You will have a greater likelihood of attracting with the dreams versus pain-focus marketing efforts.
5. Contains What and Who - Identify the outcomes and who would be best served by working with you or buying from you.
6. Dual-focus - Create a two-part defining statement; i.e., two outcomes and you will appeal to a wider audience.
7. Repeatability - This may be the hardest rule to hit. If another person can repeat your defining statement or part of it, then look out! Watch your referrals go way up!

Once your defining statement is created, it is now time to start using it to get more business. LeBlanc mentions 8 ways to best take advantage of your defining statement.

1. Introduce yourself with it.
2. Use it in your marketing efforts including when you sell over the phone.
3. Turn it into a headline for your ad, brochure or other forms of advertising.
4. Use it on the homepage of your web site.
5. Use it on your voice mail message.
6. Put it on your fax cover sheet.
7. Write articles built around it
8. Order promotional gifts or ad specialties with it printed on them.

If you ever get a prospect to repeat your defining statement, then you know you have a good one.

Added Value: If you have a business question you want answered, ask the Street Fighters. Send it to us and we will answer them in one of our columns. If we don’t know the answer, we will find the expert who does know. Send you questions to Street Fighter Marketing, 467 Waterbury Ct., Gahanna OH, 43230, fax 614-337-2233 or e-mail marc@streetfighter.com.

Street Fighter Action Plan

1. Create your own defining statement as outlined in LeBlanc’s rules.
2. Once developed use it in everyday conversation to determine its effectiveness.
3. Don’t be afraid to change and modify.
4. Once perfected, use it for all marketing and advertising efforts.

 

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