Every time I say that I am reminded of the song from Bye Bye Birdie; What’s the story morning glory what’s the word hummingbird?  Ok, so I am a little strange sometimes.

I do a lot of work with WEV (women’s economic ventures www.wevonline.org) and no it isn’t just for women.  Last night we had a quarterly meeting for the people in Thrive and again I was reminded of how people lose sight of their story and their “why”

One person was focused on her logo and felt she couldn’t move forward until she created it. Another had a logo which was pretty and the name was very generic.  When I asked them about their businesses they had difficulty telling me why I should use their services.  It wasn’t until we started talking about the stories their clients told them that they were able to identify their key benefits.

What do you provide that separates you from the competition?  As we go through our everyday lives we buy from some people and not from others.  We recommend some people and not others. Why?

It’s not the money, it’s the value.  Well, sometimes it’s the money.  If two gas stations near each other have different rates, of course, I’ll go to the lower one if it’s convenient.  Aha.. the value. If I have to turn around or go out of my way to save $1 it’s lost the value.

What are you offering to your clients that separates you?  Do you even know the difference between you and your competitors?  Do you know what your customers want?

Sometimes it’s not about satisfaction but dissatisfaction, understanding why the customer is dissatisfied with your competitor and how you can capitalize on it.

As you are writing your goals for the new year. You are doing that, aren’t you?  and reviewing your SWOT.  Think about the problem you solve and the value they receive; what need you are filling and how you approach it differently than others.

Tell your story