The Heart of the Matter

Finding the right words to describe your product or service offering can be an agonizing task. In today’s crazy business environment it’s especially difficult to stand out from the crowd and impress corporate decision-makers. That’s why all the time, effort and resources invested in this valiant effort are so worthwhile.
But are they really? Before answering, consider this meticulously crafted statement found on a technology company’s website: “We deliver an innovative, enterprise-class business integration platform that incorporates proven integration technology with next generation capabilities into one interoperable set of tools that delivers a unique combination of efficiency, agility and control.”

Impressed yet? This statement is loaded with all of those power words that, according to many marketing gurus, will differentiate your offering from the competition. Unfortunately, these “differentiated” messages have been heard a thousand times before by jaded corporate decision-makers who have no interest in learning more. They’re not impressed by your exciting, leading-edge products or full-range of services.

From their perspective, it’s a disingenuous self-serving pitch. Without even thinking, they immediately erect insurmountable barriers that are impossible for a company to overcome. If you’ve heard comments like these before, it’s highly likely that you tried to impress your prospects: “We’re already working with [company],” “It’s not in the budget” or “We’re not interested at this time.”

Simply put, being impressive doesn’t work. Here are some ideas on how to change the game so it plays to your strengths.

Get to the Point
Throw out all of those impressive words and phrases that are utterly meaningless. Unless you’re incredibly diligent, you’ll find them sneaking into your voicemails, popping up when you’re networking or showing up during conversations with prospective customers.

Look at your written material. While you may not be able to influence the collateral created by your corporate office, you can control what’s in your own e-mails, letters, PowerPoint presentations or proposals.