T h e C r o s s O u t W r i t e I n T e s t
Does Your Business Stand Out From the Rest?
This simple exercise will help determine if you’re falling into the trap of your company “looking like everyone else in your industry”. If you are consistently losing business to competitors or having to revert to price to win business
We’re going to use a traditional print ad as an example of this.
We’re going to take a look at your ad (the first ad), then cross out the current logo and add a competitors logo onto it.
Read through the content on the first ad
Let’s start reading through the content that is now your competitors ad (the second ad)
What is your conclusion?
Is the content that is currently in your ad also applicable to your largest competitor?
Or does it stand on its own and stand out?
If the content is interchangeable, which most is, this is precisely why you are having to compete on price. Your customers cannot differentiate you from everyone else in your industry.
Video Coming Soon!
S i m i l a r i t i e s I n A d v e r t i s i n g
Both of the company logos are crossed out. Let’s see how the content stands on its own. Both ads focus on their list of services, and and have contact information, license numbers and hours (obviously needed).
But other than that, is there anything in the content that would compel you to choose one company over the other? Is there any content in these ads that convince you to pick up the phone and call Premier Quality over Shir?
Similarities – Ad #1:
Similarities – Ad #2:
(Both of the ads below are displayed in a slider, click on the circle at the bottom to view the different pieces of advertising)
D i f f e r e n c e s I n A d v e r t i s i n g
Now, let’s take a look at the differences in advertising. Do any of those differences stand out enough for you to make a decision of one company over the other?
Do the differences even matter or make sense to you as a consumer?
If not, then as a customer that is looking to buy, how do you choose a remodeling company?
And as a business owner, how do you grow your business if your business looks the same as everyone else in your industry? What impression (if any) are you making on your customers?
Differences – Ad #1:
Differences – Ad #2:
T r y I t O u t Y o u r s e l f
Take a few minutes and try the cross-out/write in test yourself if you’re skeptical. We all think our businesses are special, unique and better than everyone else’s are (similar to how we think about our children) but typically the inside reality of our business is very different from the outside perception.
Stop competing on price and stop losing business to inferior competitors. Stand out from the pack and start using the power of strategy to grow your business.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if you want an assessment of your business.