The second rule of marketing and sales is to make your business stand out

It’s a reoccurring a nightmare. You build it, yet they don't come.

It’s as if you’re living in a vast, deep ocean of competitive noise. So big, that either potential customers don’t know your company exists, or in the few seconds that your business zooms by them there’s nothing that grabs their attention.

Previously, I wrote about The first rule of marketing and selling: "Why buy anything?" In other words, you can’t sell what people don’t want or need. This is all about qualifying your potential customers correctly.

So, you’ve created an ideal customer profile and identified likely prospects. A juicy list of people to contact is built and you know where they hang out online and offline. Even their good and bad habits have been exposed!

But, you’re not ready to rock and roll yet.

Why? The Second Rule of Marketing and Selling is stopping you, well at least until you understand it, embrace it, and act on it.

The second rule is all about answering "Why Buy From You?" It’s a question that’s asked every day by millions of potential customers and most companies give the answer wrong.

But, first you’ve got to stand out and attract ideal customers.

Let’s say that you decide to build a butterfly garden. You know that having lots of brightly colored flowers with certain types of scents will entice butterflies and hummingbirds, the ideal targets of your garden. But, you worry about attracting bees and wasps.

Using the principle of the First Rule of Marketing and Selling, you zero on the fact that the unwanted species of insects are attracted to the color yellow with bees also having a preference for sweet scented flowers. It turns out that butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted by red and near infrared with butterflies also having a preference for pink.

Your problem is solved with the Second Rule of Marketing and Selling.

Pay attention please. Have you ever thought about the phrase “paying attention” and what it really means? You “earn” the attention of potential buyers because people pay for things they value. And people value their time. Think in terms of a conversation process that begins with the very first contact -- in person, a pay per click banner ad, the meta title information you use for each web page, in an email headline, or anywhere. There isn’t a one size fits all formula for a killer, attention grabbing value proposition and no need to try to explain in a sentence or two everything about your offering. Just let your target prospect know that you have something of value made only for them and won’t waste their time. The message should scream, “we know you really well and it’s worth your time to stop by and take a look”. Let this idea shape how you and your team think about grabbing a prospect’s attention and you’ll win more sales.

Create lead magnets. The notion of going from hello to close in one step is silly. For most products and services, selling requires the nurturing of buyers through the funnel. First you need to invite them into your sales funnel to start the process. Attracting ideal prospects into your funnel is just like building a butterfly garden. The best way is to understand what your buyers want and give it to them in the form of education. Not just any type of education -- compelling, valuable information. A lead magnet will help potential customers in their jobs or life in some way. Or see the light. A lead magnet will also demonstrate your expertise and showcase what you're all about. Plus a lead magnet will persuade people to give up their contact information. Online and offline you can give value with a promise to solve a problem your prospect has as it relates to your product or service. Instead of pounding people over the head with features and benefits like a parrot, over and over, make it a habit to give to get.

Better marketers win. Your competition says, “Look at me”. They hand out product brochures, giveaway cheap pens, and posts videos about themselves. Who cares! A great lead magnet informs and points to your offering in a creative and even a thought provoking way -- bolstering your authority and creating a relationship with your prospect. A lead magnet may be free, yet it’s deemed valuable by your target audience. Examples range far and wide and depend on your industry; how-to video course, gear list, checklist, how-to ebook, free ticket to a paid workshop, how-to report, step-by-step guide, tip sheet, case study, and an infographic so useful they’ll want to tape it to their wall. Be specific with topics your customers want to know more about. Placement should be on your website, at trade shows, in direct mail, online and print ads, verbal offers at networking events, with press releases, and over the phone when cold calling. Make your lead magnets eye-catching, easy to share, and have a clear call to action. Be different, be better.

Attention is something to be valued. There isn’t a one size fits all formula for a killer, attention grabbing value proposition. But one thing is for sure -- when everybody is targeted as your customer, then nobody is your customer.

Have a singular focus on who will buy from you and why. Then use that knowledge to grab the attention of qualified buyers with the Second Rule of Marketing and Selling.

Ron Stein is President of FastPath Marketing (www.marketing-strategies-guide.com) and the author of the Rapid Impact Marketing & Selling Playbook. As a speaker, coach, and consultant he works with small business owners helping them to accelerate the path between their vision and the actions needed to reach, win, and keep customers. Ron is the creator of the FastPath to More Customers Now! 7-step marketing system based on more than twenty years as a successful business owner, corporate CEO, business development executive, and salesman. He is also a mentor at two nationally recognized business accelerators. Ron offers one-on-one and small group mentoring, conducts seminars, and consults. He can be reached at 727-398-1855 or Ron@FastPathMarketing.com.