Reasons to Believe

Let's say you have a product or service you want to sell. And you have figured out the main reason why a potential customer would want to buy it. In other words, you understand its essential benefit. Now you want to get the message out!

The challenge we face at this point is overcoming the Credibility Gap. People are naturally skeptical and won't necessarily believe when someone says, "My product is great and offers this wonderful benefit!" They have to be convinced, because people want to feel they are spending their money well and making a good decision.

The way to overcome this natural resistance is to provide reasons to believe. I'll give an example:

Let’s say someone walked up to you and said, "I have a new restaurant that offers the best Italian food in Boise." Would you believe him?

What if he added, “The chef previously worked for a 4-star restaurant in San Francisco.”

And furthermore, “All of our pastas and sauces are hand-made on site.”

And what if you mentioned this new restaurant to a friend and she said, “Oh, I’ve been there. It is the best!”

At what point would you believe?

The claim was to have the best Italian food, and what followed were reasons to believe. The last one is an example of a testimonial. Testimonials can come from people you know (these are especially effective) as well as from satisfied customers, the media or recognized experts.

In fact, there are five different ways to provide reasons to believe and all of them work. If you are interested in learning more about them and would like a chance to write a couple "reasons to believe" of your own, then join me at the Apropos Marketing Foundation Workshop. It will be held on two dates this fall, Oct 29 and Nov 5. Be sure to register online.

Happy messaging!

Everyone Has a Message - Is Yours Sharp?

I just visited the websites for the two major presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain. They both have a message for you, the American electorate. I won't repeat it here because you will hear it again and again over the next couple months. Their messages are different, and both clearly hope you receive theirs and vote accordingly.

The stakes are high indeed. The effectiveness of their message, and how well they deliver it, will determine who assumes the most powerful executive position in the world, and who goes back to the Senate. It will determine who gets to directly shape America and the broader world, and who has to retire to the sidelines. Knowing this, I am sure both candidates have thought long and hard about their respective MESSAGE.

Obama and McCain aren't the only ones with a message. In fact, everyone has a message. Whether we are selling a product, advocating a cause or proposing an idea, we all have a message to deliver and hope we can do it in a way that other people understand and receive. An effective message is like an arrow with a sharp tip that flies true and sticks in the target. On the other hand, a less-effective message is like a soft Nerf arrow with a rounded tip that often bounces off or misses the target. So, is your message sharp?

If you're not sure, or if you would like to hone your message, then I have a solution for you: The Apropos Marketing Foundation Workshop, which will held on two dates this fall, Oct 29 and Nov 5, at George Fox University (Boise site). This is a 3-hour, roll-up-your-sleeves workshop where I will lead you through a process for creating an effective message, as well as selecting a target audience who is likely to respond. Who should attend? Business owners, managers, sales and marketing professionals - anyone who wants to accelerate their sales and marketing towards business growth. And hit a bull's-eye!

To make sure this event remains dynamic and interactive, the number of attendees is limited to 20 per workshop. So if you would like to attend, please register soon. Click here for more details and to sign up online.

Happy messaging!