We all have different concerns, issues and requirements we’d like solved in some way. Many of us are selling products or services to answer such concerns. And the simple fact is, we may have only one chance to alert a person you’re the one who can be of use. How do you ensure you’re exactly … Continue reading Messages that matter dissolve resistance
You’ve got to love it when heavyweights go head to head – or bun to bun in this case. Comparative advertising’s a risky play at times – you’re also providing free publicity for the opposition. But when you can humourously make a dig at your rival, and illustrate it well, it’s probably worth the risk. … Continue reading When you know the back stories, very few words are needed to tell a new story
Restricting yourself to 10 words, tell me about your business. Have you described why someone should be interested in your product or service? Have you given me a what and a why? Is part of the heart and soul of who you are evident along with your value proposition? Does what you say sound fresh, … Continue reading If you’ve only got one chance to tell your story…
What’s the name for a person who is neither a consultant nor a contractor? The term facilitator doesn’t cut the mustard for the definition I’m after. Online thesaurus’s aren’t coming to the party either. Neither consultant nor contractor Because I’m trying to name the role – it is neither a contractor nor a consultant – … Continue reading Neither fish nor fowl, master nor minion
The value of starting your business story with a brand/name that resonates with your product or service is priceless. Conversely, giving a business an obscure name, which in itself requires explaining before you get around to telling people what you do and why you should care is immensely counterproductive. In today’s attention economy, failing to … Continue reading A great way to start your story…the right name
Ever been at a function, say a BBQ, and asked someone what they do…their story business-wise? Some people come back with, “well, we do lots of things.” Immediately you begin to switch off. That person has irretrievably lost their best chance to pique your interest. They’ve frittered their golden opportunity for you to ask “tell me … Continue reading Why you can only tell one story (at a time)
Recently I had the privilege of presenting ‘storytelling 101’, and the importance of your first story, to New Zealand’s first cohort through the PopUp Business School Aotearoa. Fifty people signed up for the Porirua two-week intensive, lead by the irrepressible Tony Henderson-Newport, who brought across and Kiwified a British initiative started back in 2012. His … Continue reading A schooled up reminder of getting your first most important story right
Far too often, as if they’ve pulled terms from a cliche-word-generator, an organisation’s first most important message is meaningless. Their 2-10 word opening story – as a value proposition, slogan, tagline – fails. It fizzles instead of flying, is a three cent mess, rather than being a Million Dollar Message. And instead of inspiring more … Continue reading The seven words your value proposition, slogan or tagline should NEVER have
As a value proposition ‘Ours not mine’ is a pretty emotionally powerful set of three words. Its Million Dollar Message is self-evident. So hats off to the national organisation which also has a great tagline in ‘Giving nature a voice’. The poster lines a design company’s window display I regularly walk past. It may be … Continue reading Forest & Bird nail a value proposition with ‘Ours not mine’
Do all the political parties have a random cliche slogan generator to create their key message? After all, this is their value proposition. Or, is the brief to be so bland that people are bored into voting for them? Even ‘at least the election has got more interesting’ Jacinda Ardern has not taken the opportunity … Continue reading Are these the most boring political slogans ever?