In business today, as in life, it’s awfully hard to stop long enough to gather information before proceeding.  We tend to jump out in the street, trusting that our instincts will protect us, or that the oncoming traffic will avoid collision. This is especially true in small business marketing.  With the rapid proliferation of marketing tools and tactics, the temptation is strong to keep moving, looking and listening while we go, hoping to select the proper marketing tactics along the way.  We often expect that since we haven’t been in a “bad” accident yet, surely we’ll get better every time we cross the street.

Here’s the reality.  Every time we cross the street, without first looking and listening, we are increasing the statistical likelihood that we’ll get hit by an unsuspecting motorist.  Are you stopping along the way to look and listen for information to guide your marketing?  Or, are you running headlong into traffic?

On April 2, I’ll be hosting an interactive WORKshop to help small business owners stop, look, and listen.  Learn more at “Marketing Intervention – Stop the waste. Regain control!”

Keep chargin’

This group was like many, with its relatively small membership trying to figure out how to grow participation. Its format was fairly typical. After the standard around-the-table introductions and elevator pitches, we moved to the featured member’s 20-minute presentation. On this day, a financial advisor delivered a routine overview of company history, prowess, features, and benefits. She handed out a nice brochure, along with a list of her company’s services. She was professional in her delivery, appeared qualified in her knowledge base, and was pleasant in her demeanor.

The rest of us followed along through her handouts as she spoke. We nodded in agreement at her talking points. When she finished and invited questions, there were none. Well, except for mine. As I watched her presentation, I hoped for something to motivate me and other group members to either consider her services or to be motivated to tell others about her. Instead, I found myself thinking, “I’ve seen this presentation at least a dozen times before, just from others.”

I knew the presenter from earlier meetings at social events.  Our conversations told me that she genuinely cared about her customers and was passionate about her work.  So, hoping to provide an opportunity for her to tell the group what makes her and her company different from other financial advisors, I spoke up. “There are many others in your profession, what do you think sets you apart?” Her response, “When you work with my company, you get me and my personal commitment to your financial success.” I knew she would say that and most of you reading this post knew she would say that. Unfortunately, SAYING that to the group was not nearly as powerful as SHOWING that she really was interested in their success, especially since she just completed a 20-minute pitch of her company features and benefits.

She happened to be a financial services provider, but she could have easily been a mortgage banker, realtor, insurance broker, or any number of professional service providers, especially those faced with significant numbers of “competitors” in their market. She could have been most of us, who know that WE determine our product or service value.  Yet, we often present features and benefits when addressing a group, rather than delivering a message that reinforces our personal value.  People buy YOU.  Then they justify their action with your features and benefits.

The question I really wanted to ask the financial advisor…”If YOU are what sets your company apart, why did you spend your time selling your company’s features and benefits? Why not use the time to connect with me, to demonstrate your expertise, to give me immediate value, to lock in your message of commitment to my success?”

The Featured Business Presenter opportunity is often viewed as a stand up brochure or an expanded elevator speech. In truth, it offers a powerful opportunity to build relationship with networking group members. It should used to connect with their needs, deliver value, and drive leads. Approaching such an opportunity with objectives and a plan can mean the difference in just getting it over with and getting ahead.

I’ll be presenting a short seminar on this topic in the next couple weeks. If you want to learn more, visit www.presentingwithpurpose.com