Understanding your brand
By Alan Berg, CSP, www.AlanBerg.com, Kendall Park, N.J.What is your brand? Can you describe it to someone who’s never done business with you? I’m not talking about what you do (wedding planning), or even why you do it (passion, money, etc.). It’s not your proficiency at a craft, either. As a matter of fact, if I asked you to say what makes you different than the other wedding planners in your market, without saying it’s your style or quality, could you do it? Why can’t you say it’s your quality? Quality is a very hard thing to show in a photo. You wouldn’t show bad images on your website or in your marketing, so how is a potential client going to tell your quality versus that of another wedding planner? Why can’t you say it’s your style? Style is very subjective. If you show a wedding video to a group of videographers, they’ll debate the style of the shooter, the equipment that was used to shoot and edit, and the editing style. Show that same video to a group of brides-to-be and they’ll debate the style of the dress, the flowers, the hair, and the wedding. They’re simply not equipped to see what you see. So, if it’s not your style or quality, what makes you different than the rest? It’s a tough question with a relatively easy answer: Your brand is defined by the words and phrases that your customers use when they talk about you. It’s in your reviews, testimonials, and social proof (Facebook posts, Tweets, comments). If you stop to really read what clients are saying, the nuances of their comments define what it’s like to do business with you and to have you plan their weddings and events. After all, they’ve experienced it firsthand. When prospects are reading their comments, they’re getting a sneak peek at what it will be like for them. That’s why reviews are so popular.Grab a highlighter One exercise that I do with consulting clients is to print out their recent reviews. You can do this, too. Then, grab a highlighter and start looking for the words and phrases that your customers use, especially the ones that come up again and again. Look past comments that say you were nice, professional, organized, and any other generic phrases. Look for what I call the “golden nuggets.” For example, one videographer had a bride write on WeddingWire: “I cried buckets when I watched our video for the first time…” Another wrote, “I cry tears of joy every time we watch our wedding video, it’s like reliving our wedding day over again.” Those comments are much more powerful than someone saying you were really nice and the video looks pretty or great.Then what?Once you’ve found these great words and phrases, use their comments in your marketing and on your website. I have testimonial quotes all over my website, not just buried on a testimonials page, and so do most of my clients. I have them on my business cards and bookmarks. I have them on all of my marketing pieces. Why? Because I can’t write better than a satisfied customer, and neither can you, so why try?Better bullets Instead of making a bullet point list of what you do (plan and organize their wedding, make a timeline, etc.), make a list of testimonial quotes that show what clients will get when they choose you. No matter what you do, or how long you’ve been doing it, someone else does it cheaper. The list of “what” you do looks similar to that of other planners. If I took your name off of your bullet point list, how many other planners would it sound like?On my website review page, I have a section that says “Why should you have me review your website?” This is followed by five bullet points, each with a testimonial quote from a real customer. The sixth bullet says, “Still not convinced? Read more reviews by my clients.” (It includes a link to the testimonials page). Then, it has a call-to-action: “Ready to schedule your website review?”, followed by my contact information.Make them want you!You don’t want them to hire you because of “what” you do. You want them to hire you because they want “you,” specifically—you to plan their wedding or event. And when they want you, they have to hire you, and pay your price, because you’re not available anywhere else, at any price. So stop selling what you do, and start showing them why they should want you—and use your past customers' words to do it for you. ••
