Joey Ragona | Strategic Business Academy

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Market Your Product

A Simple 3-Step Unique Selling Definition Formula

Whenever you want to position against your competitors, you need to have a unique selling definition that fulfills a promise.

I’m not talking about the BIGGGGG promise.

I’m talking about a REAL promise.

Your competitors are already using the BIG promises – and your prospects are thinking “yeah, right”.

Because prospects have heard it all before – and they’ve been duped.

So your job is to craft a unique selling definition with a promise that triggers emotional desires.

And there’s a simple formula you can follow when you want to create a unique selling definition that works:

Here it is:

The Simple 3-Step Unique Selling Definition Formula

1. Honesty – make sure your product / service does what you say it does

This is where a lot of the BS BIG promise marketing fails – because people are just making promises to get the sale.

I’m sure you’ve purchased something that doesn’t work as promised when you get home.

Don’t be that dude.

Step 2

2. What ORIGINAL benefit(s) does your product / service have/do ?

Did you catch that?

If you want to have an awesome unique selling definition, it’s got to be ORIGINAL.

And I don’t mean in the way you SAY it, I mean in what your product/service DOES!

This means you have to dig deep – if you're just another Joe-Blow selling the same crap for lower, that's not original.

Original was selling coffee in A K-cup.

“Convenient, always fresh – single brew coffee”

I don’t know if that was their unique selling definition, but it’s pretty close – don’t you think?

Step 3

3. Does it speak to the CORE desire of the prospect?

This is a BIG point that almost everyone misses when they’re crafting a unique selling definition.

Because you can’t CREATE desire.

You can only awaken what's already there. (Eugene Schwartz)

Sure, if you want to argue that you can throw a whack load of money at marketing and advertising and buy the biggest Super Bowl ad just to create desire, good job.

You’ve just blown all this money in the HOPES that it takes off.

That’s not “branding” or “advertising”.

That’s HOPE MARKETING.

And it usually puts a lot of companies in the bankruptcy pool.

So let’s jump back into the real world where most of us entrepreneurs don’t have the multi-billions to ‘create' desire and use what has worked for eons.

Rather than speaking to the surface level of desire like “make more money”, “lose weight”, “find your dream date” stuff…

We need to go a few levels deeper and find the emotional desire that unique selling definition actually triggers.

THAT’S when you’ve nailed a powerful unique selling desire

“Lose those ten extra pounds so you can fit into that dress and make everyone jealous of how great you look at the wedding.”

Imagine a woman who feels her body is just not “good” enough and has been made fun of all her life because she’s always a bit “chubby”.

That core desire of making everyone jealous (I dunno, I’m just pulling this out of me arse) would be a key emotional trigger in this unique selling desire example – wouldn’t you agree?

So there you go – a simple (but it’s challenging) 3-step formula to create a unique selling definition that works!

Let me know what you think below! I'd love to get a conversation going!

Market Your Product

Why Your Scarcity Marketing Doesn’t Work – And the 4 Step Strategy That Does

Do you use these in your scarcity marketing?

“LAST CHANCE”

“WE’VE ONLY GOT 2 SPOTS LEFT”

“ENDS TODAY”

You’ve seen it all before.

You’ve probably used some of it – just like I have.

Yet, the famous “SCARCITY” marketing tactic doesn’t seem to work like everyone says it does.

Here’s Why:

Scarcity marketing (in other words, FEAR of losing something) is a very influential way of marketing.

It gets people to take action if they fear they will “lose out.”

Sometimes.

I say sometimes because MOST marketers only use the takeaway fear method without understanding what scarcity marketing really needs to work.

And I’m About To Give You The Scarcity Marketing Formula That Works:

Ready?

First, you need to TAP INTO an EXISTING fear your prospect has.

That means you have to understand your prospect inside and out…

AND, you have to understand them intimately.

“That’s hard work…” someone told me on a coaching strategy call.

“Yea. It is. Are you afraid of hard work?”

Radio silence.

Because this person only wanted the magic bullet.

And even after you learn this simple formula, there’s work involved…

So, I ask you the same question:

You’re not afraid of a little hard work, are you?

Still with me?

Good.

Here's the first step:

Go out and “hang” with your prospects.

LISTEN closely to what they’re saying.

WRITE DOWN every fear and anxiety they have.

I don’t care how “stupid” it sounds to you.

The point is, it’s REAL to them.

And that’s all that matters.

Heck, I’m afraid of heights – and I’ll bet a person who bungee jumps for a living cannot imagine the fear I have.

You with me?

OK – second point: whatever you or your product / service does, needs to be a SPECIFIC SOLUTION to the fear.

I know you’re heard that before.

And you’ll continue to hear it.

So FOLLOW IT!

If you’re selling widgets, telling someone there’s only 2 left doesn’t mean shit unless there’s some painful outcome attached if they don’t buy.

Perhaps these are the last two widgets on the planet ever.

Yea.

Of course I know you’ve heard that line before…

And when you see the next two pieces of this formula, you’ll understand why a lot of marketers fail using just the previous two pieces.

For one, a lot of them LIE.

They have a full warehouse of widgets.

Ever notice that furniture store that’s going out of business every week?

Every week, it’s “held over” … but just for ONE more week.

Yea.

Right.

Step 3 in our scarcity marketing formula:

The prospect has to fully understand that your SPECIFIC product/service is an effective solution.

Using the above example, IF these ARE your two last widgets, is there ANOTHER company that makes them?

Just because they are YOUR last pieces of inventory, doesn’t mean they won’t be able to get them somewhere else.

Understand what I’m saying?

It truly has to be perceived as an effective solution.

The fourth, final and most important piece is what I have found missing from most people’s marketing.

Even mine.

Here it is:

Your prospect has to BELIEVE they can DO or BENEFIT from whatever it is you are selling.

Read that again.

Because it’s a piece we ALL miss. (well, I dunno you personally, so I'm using the data from the people I train and coach.)

And we end up going back to the top trying to CONVINCE someone to buy something because it’s “ending today” and it’s the “best price ever.”

Yet, we haven’t taken the time to help them understand HOW they can actually USE our product to solve their problem.

This reminds me of this post about how to ‘convince' a customer.

I’ll give you another scarcity marketing example:

There are THOUSANDS of real estate investors sitting in “how to buy real estate” seminars all over the country.

Yet very few actually do it.

Even though they’ve been there for years learning, writing notes, buying books and going special training.

Why?

Because they DO NOT BELIEVE they can do it. (no matter what they say out-loud)

Period.

Once they are convinced (internally, with full belief) that real estate investing program A will work for them, they’ll buy into the “go to the back of the room and buy it now because the price goes up Monday” routine.

BTW…I DON’T recommend this type of forced selling. Especially in workshops that don’t teach anything REAL just so they can get people to buy their expensive programs.

If you’re using scarcity as a TRUE MARKETING method, be real.

That means – TEACH people something of value that will get them closer to their goal even if they don’t buy your shit.

Then, if you offer them a deal, using scarcity, and they don’t take it…it’s all good.

I’m just totally against these douche-bag marketers who care only about the sale and up-selling people over and over again without giving any real value along the way.

So there you have it.

You scarcity formula in full.

Please use it for good. Because it works.

And the truth is, people NEED to be pushed sometimes.

But ONLY if your stuff is really great and you know in your heart you can morally help someone!

Cool?

What’d ya think?

Lemme know below and let's get a conversation going!

BTW – If you want to Rethink Your Scarcity Marketing – check out this post.

Build An Email List

Email list building strategies: why unsubscribers are good!

A coaching client asked me about email list building strategies and was worried “if I send emails weekly, people will be bothered and they'll unsubscribe”

THIS IS GOOD!

One thing you have to realize about email marketing is this:

QUALITY – not QUANTITY.

There's a lot of “email marketing teachers” that will tell you a BIG list is the way to go when it comes to your email list building strategies.

It's not true.

Bigger is NOT better.

In fact, the bigger, more un-engaged email list, the WORSE it is.

Here's why:

When you grow your email list with people who do not engage with you – that means open your emails, click your links, BUY from you…

… in the eyes of the Googles and the Bings, Yahoos and so forth, all you're doing is sending out “crap”.

Even if you're not.

Why do the internet Gods see it this way?

Because they see is 10,000 emails go out, 200 people open.

Which is NOT a good ratio.

Then you add MORE people.

And this time, the Bings, Yahoos and Googles see 10,200 emails go out and 210 open.

STILL not a good ratio (I'm not a math guy, so you'll have to figure that ration out on your own 🙂 )

In fact, your ratio's getting worse.

Here's my point about email list building strategies:

When people unsubscribe, it means they are NOT your ideal customer and never would have bought from you in the first place.

They have basically filtered themselves out – and that's GOOD!

Because, you won't have the possibility of them tagging you as a SPAMMER because they think you're bugging them.

Get me?

So your email list building strategies include getting HIGH QUALITY people that actually engage and communicate with you.

And, if THAT type of list grows bigger…then, yes, all the better 🙂

How'd ya like that?

Let's get a conversation going below.

Market Your Product

Branding Strategies That Could Put You In The POOR House

I was blessed to talk about branding strategies with an up-and-coming interior designer the other day so I could save her from financial ruin…

Stress…

And a possible divorce.

And even though you might not be in this field, this is going to be important for you to hear.

Here’s Why:

Like a few industries out there, she was BRAINWASHED with branding strategies that said she needed to “invest” in her “brand” to GET clients.

Then, to top it off, recently, I saw a few posts from a very close friend of mine who is IN this same industry…

Basically stating the same branding strategies.

And the proof was enough for me to write this.

First, let me get this out of the way: I’m not suggesting I’m anything special here and my ideas and opinions are to be taken for gospel.

However, I also say shit most people don’t.

Or are thinking and afraid to say.

I call things as I see ‘em and when it helps at least ONE person, like it did this woman, I’m happy I took a stand.

So I know this will help you to – read on.

I dunno WHO’s brainwashing these people, but I feel the need to step out and say this:

YOU DON’T BUILD A BRAND BY GOING INTO DEBT TO DO IT.

I don’t care WHAT industry you are in…

Or WHO you’re trying to emulate.

Because there’s a fundamental difference between BUILDING a brand and PROTECTING a brand.

Here’s the Deal With Branding Strategies:

If you have to IMPRESS people with what you wear, the bling you buy and the car you drive so you can CONVINCE them that you’re the person they should be dealing with…

YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.

Read that again – because:

It means YOUR MESSAGE (of value and problem solving) is not STRONG enough.

That’s my professional opinion – and you can take it to two more marketers if you'd like.

For now, at least hear me out.

If you look at this primarily from the financial position, that's a LOT of pressure you are putting yourself into if you have to go into debt to build a brand that NOBODY knows… (granted, YET)

AND, you have to still compete with OTHER “brands” that have been established…

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT?

2nd mortgage?

Credit Card Debt?

Loan from your parents?

Cutting off the kids’ after school activities and weekend sports promising them and yourself that you’ll add them back later when you land your first big account?

Please.

This is What People Care About (and this I can guarantee)

THEMSELVES.

They care about the RESULTS you get them.

THAT’S IT.

Not your car or your dress or your watch and shoes.

And if they do, is THAT the client you want to work with?

Clients that you have to CONSTANTLY be “on” and “made up” for just to get their approval before you can even talk to them?

Wow. (again, a LOT of pressure – what happens if they see you at the supermarket with your hair in a pony tail?)

So I told this new designer gal, “listen, I’m not telling you to never shower or do your hair, show up in track pants and running shoes with holes.”

“What I am telling you is to be ‘presentable’ and focus on what you can DO for the client. If they are so superficial and materialistic that they NEED to see someone show up in all that shit, sorry, but you have to make a choice about who you want to work with.” I continued.

Just like I’m telling you here.

Because I can spend an entire blog post listing billionaires who don’t give a shit what they wear. (And I'm betting you can add to that list.)

And it started from day one.

Their “brand” is the PROBLEM they are solving.

So Let’s talk about “branding” for a second

When it comes to branding, I’m not against it, I’m just saying you don’t START by building a brand.

In other words, you don’t put marketing money into “building” a brand.

You put that marketing money into getting your message out to people about how you can help them.

AND THAT builds your brand over time.

Then, once you HAVE this brand, you can put money into PROTECTING IT.

McDonalds didn’t start out with a Super Bowl ad.

Neither did Starbucks or Nike.

Everyone starts out the same.

The ones that survive are the ones creating VALUE in the marketplace.

That's a piece of their branding strategies.

I told this sweet woman “if you put ALL your money into buying all that shit, what’s left over to help you buy Facebook ads or create a “lunch and learn” event that actually attracts clients so you can PROVE you can help them?”

Not much – that’s how much.

She then said “but Joey, this world is different, to get high-end clients, you have to ‘LOOK’ the part.”

Again, brainwashed, so I went with it:

Do you think for a moment, that high-end rollers, with all that cash, DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A CONNECTED NETWORK?

Think about it.

Millionaires have networks.

Someone knows someone.

And please hear this: I’m not suggesting you will NEVER be able to get into these networks.

I'm only suggesting you have to pay your dues and start outside that network.

Then you get a referral here, there…

BECAUSE YOU’RE DOING AWESOME WORK.

And one day someone says, hey, do you think you can do this for my friends mansion?

You say “sure.”

Guess what.

You’re IN the network.

Because you’ve focused on what you do WELL, and people notice.

So the choice is yours.

You either have a LOT OF MONEY and you can PAY YOUR WAY IN (which most of the entrepreneurs out there do not have, just like this coaching client.)

Or you focus on doing REALLY great work and people notice…and create the brand FOR you.

Thank you.

Rant over.

Take it as you will.

Love – your strategic caring coach.

Joey

Build An Email List

Are You Creating Your Marketing Message Effectively?

I Want to SHARE something about creating your marketing message with you:

Today on a coaching call with a long time client, we were talking about “usual” stuff…

How to monetize stuff, how to get more people into a funnel and offer them some cool stuff, what to do WHEN they're on our list, etc…

And it came back down to this:

When Creating Your Marketing Message – Ask…

“What do I offer people that will benefit / change their life?”

In other words, we can use all the tactics and BS marketing stuff other speakers, presenters and marketers use to “trick” people into joining their lists…

But it's getting harder for them to fly under the radar.

I'm not SUGGESTING you DO that… and I'm not saying I've EVER taught people to do that…

What I'm saying is, the public is way smarter than you think.

And, they are much more leery of doing anything – no matter how good you promise shit.

So the answer is – TELL THEM EXPLICITLY how you are going to help them when you are creating your marketing message.

They want to know how your stuff benefits them…

NOT just the stuff they “get”.

In other words, if you're asking people to sign up to your newsletter for “updates”…who cares?

EVERYONE has updates.

Updates for WHAT?

WHAT are those updates gonna do for me?

HOW is it gonna help me clear up my gonorrhoea ?

Get me?

( I really don't know why I chose gonorrhoea for this example, I just went with it)

HOW do you make things better when creating your marketing message?

Whenever…and I mean EVERY TIME you write down “here's what you get…” stuff,

Ask yourself “so what?”

And if you can come back with a GREAT answer to “so what”…

THAT'S the benefit usually…

Because I'll tell ya something…

Your prospects are asking themselves the same “so what” question for every bullet point, promise and feature you spit out.

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