When we think about marketing, we often think about things we are going to do to get our message in front of potential customers to grow revenue. This is an important part of marketing, but it is not where we should start.
The problem with focusing just marketing efforts to grow a business is that tactics came and go. If certain things aren’t working, we can try something else.
To know if something is not working is incredibly valuable. That’s we always need to start with the change we are trying to make. To stay clear on our strategy, or the overall series of tactics. Our strategy shouldn’t change, but tactic can come and go.
A mistake I made for a long time, and a mistake I see other salespeople making, is thinking our unique selling proposition is our strategy.
Unique selling proposition, a point of difference that gives a company or product an advantage over the competition. It is important to know what differentiates us, but we can’t let that be what defines us or drives us. We need to be clear on what we stand for.
Simon Sinek and the Golden Circle
Simon Sinek has been very influential is helping people and organization clarify the difference between the why, the how and the what of their work.
This quote of his is seared into my memory:
People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.
Simon Sinek
If you haven’t read Start With Why by Simon Sinek, you need to pick it up. His insanely popular Ted Talk is a great starting point to his ideas.