USP

August 16, 2011 Dental B2B, Dental Business, Dental case studies, Dental Copywriter, Dental Copywriting, Dental Industry, Dental industry case studies, Dental marketing strategies, Dental product case studies, Dental promotion ideas, Marketing dental services, Marketing dental supplies, Marketing to dentists No Comments

“Est” Syndrome & How to Beat It in Your Dental Content

Sometimes I can’t get-over-myself. This occasionally happens when I write proposals to promote my services to a potential client.

My first hurdle with self promotion is taking myself just seriously enough to boldly inform someone that I’m the person to get-it-done for them. Something similar happens with product and service promotions.

The “est” syndrome.

This feature-focused disease includes promotion killing words like bigg-est…fast-est…great-est. The problem with “est” words is their potential to create unhealthy – or unnecessary – comparisons.

There’s a much better focus. I’ll share that in moment.

Think about making an impression on someone. That all important first impression makes it harder to breathe, doesn’t it?

You stress about your appearance – what to wear? You stress over your first words, how firm should your handshake be, etc.

It’s all about the feature presentation. And perhaps that’s the fear source.

When you think features – everything has to fit and flow just short of “perfect,” right?

But like all lasting relationships, you eventually move past the surface appearance and engage with what’s beneath – the real person. That’s where the relationship takes off and has staying-power.

The staying-power of your products and services have more to do with the deeper benefits than surface features.

Write your dental promotional content to the benefit level.

1) Look at the product or service with fresh eyes.

Ask – what problem does this service really solve? Then think solutions.

Perhaps you’ve focused so much creative energy on the presentation (features) that you’re missing your most compelling selling points (benefits).

2) List every possible problem the product/service solves (really, all you can think of).

This list could be creative-gold for your R&D (Research & Development) processes. Whiteboard or mind-map every possible problem and solution your dental product/service engages.

Punch-up your content with these gold nuggets. Benefits connect and compel your prospect’s emotions.

3) Leverage the results of happy users/clients/patients.

When a problem is solved with one of your products/services that’s an emotional deal. No, there may not be laughter and tears (depending on what their issue is) but now you’ve won a customer…perhaps for life!

Why? Because you engaged them at an emotional level – where a dental problem, an issue, etc was causing “pain.”

You delivered a timely and useful solution to their dilemma. And they’ll talk you up because of it.

But…they won’t if you don’t give them a venue. Testimonials, case studies, survey forms are excellent venues for this kind of “love.” Leverage them.

Seeing yourself as the solution (benefits) is much more effective than comparing yourself to everyone else (features).

YOU have a voice that’s uniquely YOU.

Get over yourself. Start using it.

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May 18, 2011 Dental B2B, Dental Business, Dental Copywriting, Dental Industry, Dental internet marketing, Dental marketing strategies, Dental promotion ideas, Marketing dental services, Marketing dental supplies, Marketing to dentists No Comments

How to give your products & services “blockbuster” status

The summer movie season is almost here. Has me thinking about what most blockbuster movies have in common.

And it’s the same reason excellent marketing and outstanding copywriting draws you in.

I’m talking about the plot or story-line that keeps you riveted as the story unfolds. A well-crafted story-line drifts (ever so slightly) back and forth. Just when you’re feeling carried to another seemingly disconnected place…the plot reappears…drawing you back into the story once again.

Marketing copy compares to the story you’re telling about your business, product, or service. How well you keep your target audience engaged, buying, and doing business with you tells whether they’re riveted as your story unfolds.

Keep ‘em compelled and first-time, front-end clients or customers will become repeat, back-end ones time and again.

This is traceable to a significant element of your marketing-story. Like the plot or story-line of great cinema this is a key within your marketing copy.

It’s your USP…

I’m talking about the Unique Selling Proposition of your business, service, or product.

(Back to the movie analogy) Ever sat through *flick* and thought – this plot seems a lot like… (the movie you saw last year). What’s missing or vague is the UNIQUE story-line that would earn it top box-office.

What I enjoy and am challenged by as a copywriter is exploring deep beneath the surface of my client’s services and discovering their USP. What is it about *Product/Service A* that reeeeeally makes it unique…unlike all the rest in the same or similar industry?

Distinguishing yourself from the crowd sends bigger waves of opportunity flowing your way. Otherwise, you’re merely creating ads, promotions, website content, etc. and all the blah-blah-blah that goes with it. And remember people don’t invest time or money for “blah.”

Here’s how to develop your U-nique story-line – do this and exploit it within your marketing copy.

1>Spotlight your *Feature Presentation*

Sit down to write about your business, product, or service and you’ll naturally and reflexively begin with features. Feature focus is easy because we’re accustomed to spotlighting them.

After all, you see yourself as the newest…biggest…brightest…sexiest…boldest…fastest…and any other *est* that applies. The problem with stopping there (please don’t) and spinning out your promotional copy based mostly on features is that there are others convinced their *est* is better than your *est*.

If you really want to command attention…

2>Promote your edge-of-the-seat *Benefits*

Here’s where the plot thickens. Telling your market about your features – mostly – stops short of the real juicy details that’ll compel them to do business with you, use your services, or buy your products.

Remember you’re unique. So…list all the benefits you can think of. If you’ve developed the fastest this-or-that (feature) get to the core of what you’ll promote (benefits) by asking and answering the question *which means…?* for every feature you spotlight.

Try this. Fill in the following blank with your business, product, or service – “We provide the fastest (or other feature oriented word) ______ which means… (how does providing the *fastest, etc.* lead to a benefit for your client or customer?). Do this for enough listed features and you’ll arrive at your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)…then promote the heck out of it!

And you’ll potentially…

3>Secure *Repeat* status

Not all great movie story-lines have a sequel in them. In fact some excellent box-office films took a nosedive when their sequel was released.

On the other hand, businesses thrive on sequel after sequel. I’m talking about *repeat business or sales*.

Every new or re-purposed product secures its repeat status when its USP is promoted to the hilt. And it’s a process worth repeating – spotlight features…promote benefits (USP)…position yourself for repeat business.

Bottom line: when the credits roll how’s your business story being told?

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