"Muck-raker": one who investigates and exposes issues; synonyms include: spin doctors, public relations professionals, marketing flacks
Commentary from the PR/Marketing/Graphics Industry
Question: ""If you're a small business of any kind, what is the first thing you would do to brand yourself?"
"Every salesperson needs a sales script to talk about the value of their offerings to customers. They also need collateral materials to leave behind so the customer has more information to review after the salesperson has gone." (Tanay Sincol, PR Manager, Sincol Tire Corp.)
"Salespersons need products to demo when they visit clients. Pictures and pamphlets don't tell the story like the real thing does! They also need to know exactly what product inventory they have available so they can give the client real time information." (Steve Soncolter, Owner, Soncolter Enterprises Inc.)
"They must have proof to back up their claims. For example, they should be given success stories and other customer testimonials that validate what they are telling their clients. They also need a concise but powerful brochure that lays everything out for the client." (Donald Curry, Director of Communications, Starry Solutions)
"Our salespeople find the most value in the competitive information we arm them with. Nothing is more powerful than knowing your competition's offerings as well as you know your own so you can shoot holes in their claims. We also provide our salespeople with relevant industry information (hot trends, new products, legislation, etc.) to help them build rapport with their customers." (Deborah Minkle, Marketing, Mount Sturgin Insurance)
Letter from the Editor…
In life we often hear that "seeing is believing". Well, my Marketing experience tells me that this is largely true in Sales as well! "Seeing" can come in many forms during the sales process. This can mean showing proof of a certain claim (for instance giving a customer testimonial or quantifiable statistic). It can also mean walking the customer through your return-on-investment numbers to demonstrate the anticipated value your solutions will bring them.
In my world of branding, key messaging and business differentiation, "seeing" means visual representation of business value. I have created what I call 'customer value models' that graphically demonstrate the value of a business's products or services to its customers. Here are some examples that I've created for clients in the past:
They can quite effectively help you develop a differentiated brand and enable you to stand out from your competition. Complementary to your key messages, these graphical models will leave a lasting impression in the minds of your clients.
